Veteran actress Hilda Dokubo has cautioned young women, especially aspiring actresses, against undergoing body modifications merely to gain attention or impress men.
In an interview with Saturday Beats on the increasing popularity of cosmetic body enhancement, Dokubo urged women not to allow societal pressure to make them seek validation based solely on their physical appearance.
She said, “People who enhance their bodies because they don’t have self-worth or need to build their confidence, if it is going to help you achieve that, and it is something you can afford without hurting anyone, it is your prerogative.
“But if you think the only reason for reworking your body is because you want to show men shege, which men are you showing shege? If you ask these men to choose between a natural body and BBL, which would you take? If you ask 10 men, nine will tell you natural body.
“So, if it is because of a man that you are doing BBL, you are just wasting your time.”
The actress also questioned why women should subject themselves to painful and expensive procedures for the sake of men who might not appreciate the changes.
“Have you heard of any man who decided that because of a woman, he is going to cut any part of his body?” she asked.
Dokubo urged women to understand that their bodies would naturally change as they passed through different stages of life, including puberty, pregnancy, motherhood and menopause.
She added, “In a woman’s life, there are phases, and every phase comes with its peculiar challenges. You are the one who will decide how to recreate your situation so that no phase of your life brings you down and no phase makes you begin to think that you need anyone’s approval to be a contented human being or a happy woman,” she said.
Dokubo encouraged women to focus on their dreams and live fulfilling lives rather than constantly seeking approval based on their appearance.
“You don’t need to do this because you want to show everybody, or because that is the only way you can find peace. These are the phases in your life that God has made, and there is nothing you can do about it.
“Live a very happy life, be contented with yourself and pursue your dreams. Every woman is bigger than her body. The body is just a small thing,” she said.
The actress, however, cautioned against attributing the breakdown of marriages to women who had undergone body enhancement procedures.
She said women should not be blamed for marital failures simply because they chose to alter their appearances.
“I don’t think that it is also right to associate what they are doing with the reason for leaving their marriage. I don’t think so,” she said.
