Why I Almost Bleached My Skin When I Was In Canada – Linda Osifo

Nollywood actress, Linda Osifo, has revealed that she once considered the idea of skin bleaching while living in Canada.

During an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, the talented actress shared that she contemplated skin bleaching due to the distressing racial slurs she encountered.

Osifo, who was born in Nigeria but moved to Canada at the age of 16, opened up about the emotional toll of experiencing racism, particularly when it came from individuals within her community.

This discrimination made her briefly contemplate altering her skin color, highlighting the profound impact such experiences can have on an individual’s self-esteem and identity.

The host, Chude, asked: “You talked about wanting to bleach your skin because when you grow up people would call me a monkey (sic). [Did] this literally happen?”

Osifo replied: “Yeah. It happens absolutely. And it happens from your shade too, you know. So, that’s why it’s even more of a weird thing.

“I always feel that those who get bullied, don’t get bullied by outsiders. It’s from within. Because if somebody else says it, you may not care but if somebody who is around you, who you are always kinda seeing every other day says it, it hurts more

“This was when I was a teenager in Canada. The positive aspect of moving [back] to Nigeria, was seeing more of individuals who look just like me.”