ADETUTU: A SYMBOL OF HOPE TO MARGINALISED STUDENT GROUPS
If you are conversant with the Nigerian modelling scene or the social media, you would have heard of Adetutu Alabi, the tribal marked single mother, turned model. The fast rising model had been scarred for years carrying her tribal marks the origin of which FinalistsDiary couldn’t confirm. On the topic of the discrimination she suffered, speaking with PUNCH Newspaper correspondents she said,
“The bullying started in my primary and secondary school days. Due to this, I learnt a skill instead of going to university.”
“I was supposed to study law but I decided not to take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination at all because I was scared of being bullied in the university. I believed that if I attended university, I might end up killing myself.”
The incidents that made Adetutu choose not to attend a university proves that inclusive education is still a work in progress in Africa. Hence, all education stakeholders should intensify efforts in making education inclusive for all citizens in Africa countries and the world.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities (CRPD) does not explicitly define inclusive education. However, Article 24 provides clear guidance with regard to including persons with disabilities in educational systems. As a broad concept, inclusive education refers to the rights of all learners. Governments, teachers, students and other key players in education should be equipped with adequate knowledge on attaining the goals of inclusive education. This will ensure that no one has to choose, like Adetutu between saving their lives and quality education anymore.
Some of the names called tribal marked individuals in Yoruba is, ‘okola’, ‘owala’ etc. These can be classified as body shaming in this age. However, body shaming related to tribal marks is a consequence of westernization in Nigeria. This is because until lately, it was considered a sign of beauty. Adetutu also confirmed this from her parents,
“I had to ask my parents why they gave me these tribal marks and they told it was because of our culture and to showcase my beauty.”
Notable Nigerians that had (have) tribal marks include Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Samuel Ladoke Akintola, former president Olusegun Obasanjo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III and lately, Alabi Adetutu
The adverse effect of body shaming on Adetutu’s personality is mostly fading away. She took to modelling on Instagram last year. Talking about her turning point in which Rihanna followed her on Instagram, she said,
“I was motivated to start the campaign when I woke up one day and saw that Rihanna posted a picture with a similar posture I assumed in one of my pictures and I have always been her fan.”
Since Rihanna’s following, Adetutu has expressed her hopes to work with Rihanna’s team someday through many of her posts. While we hope she gets the deal she so much craves with Rihanna, we couldn’t but give her the credit for becoming a symbol of hope to other marginalized students across Africa and in the world.
Alabi Adetutu’s Instagram handle is, @adetutuo.j
Sources: Saturday PUNCH and www.cbm.org
This story was written by Olaniran Oluwatobi
