Nigerian comedian and master of ceremonies Chimaraph has shared his views on tattoos, dreadlocks and the growing trend of attacking pastors in Nigeria.
Speaking on the Conversations With Kenni podcast hosted by Kehinde Ajose, he addressed questions about whether tattoos or dreads are right or wrong from a Christian perspective, especially given differing doctrines among churches of the same denomination in and outside Nigeria.
Chimaraph pointed to what he described as a uniquely Nigerian approach to the faith.
“Like my pastor would say, in Nigeria, we practice African traditional Christianity. We’re not practicing true Christianity. We like to infuse our personal opinions and Africanism,” he said.
On the issue of body modifications, he made his position clear.
“To me, there’s nothing wrong with having a tattoo because it’s a personal choice. For example, I’ll never draw a tattoo or have a full dreadlock. It’s not because there’s anything wrong with it, it’s a personal preference. Everyone has a personality they want to portray.”
When asked about people who criticise pastors for having tattoos, dreadlocks or wearing earrings, Chimaraph linked the behaviour to the desire for online attention.
“If you want to trend in Nigeria, just bash pastors. It’s one of the easiest ways to trend because they won’t do anything to you. Christianity is a peace loving religion and we like to show it. We live in a time when the church is under so much attack. If you say one controversial thing about a church right now, blogs that have never posted you before will post you.”
His comments come at a time when debates about appearance, doctrine and the role of the church continue to generate strong reactions on social media. Chimaraph’s stance emphasises personal preference while warning against using criticism of clergy as a quick path to visibility.