Complexities of Culture: How Nigerian Bodies Portray Tradition, Status, and Identity

Throughout Western Africa, and more specifically in Nigeria, a woman’s body does more
than just exist, it also communicates. In many cultural contexts, weight is not merely the
combination of fat, muscle, and skin, but greater symbolism communicating honor, prestige, and
wealth of the individual. Western societies tend to stray away from this concept, presenting small
frames as a sign of health and discipline. The opposite can be said for certain African cultures,
where thinness can be perceived as a struggle for resources and evidence of being overworked
(Pradeilles, R. et al., 2021, p. 739). Traditionally, Nigerian women value fullness because it
communicates fertility, wealth, and status, but current globalization pushes women to challenge
their identities between traditional Nigerian culture and Western thinness norms.
In Nigeria, women’s bodies are more heavily emphasized as a domain of fertility,
childbirth, and maternal readiness, while in Western societies, these values are less prominent,
emphasizing individual preferences (Pradeilles, R. et al., 2021, p. 739). Traditionally in Nigeria,
larger hip width and increased body weight tend to be viewed as markers of health, fertility, and
a woman’s capacity for successful childbirth (Pradeilles, R. et al., 2021, p. 739). Elevated levels
of body fat are believed to signal reproductive strength, indicating the potential for a woman to
produce healthier babies and breastfeed for an extended period of time, compared to that of
smaller-framed women (Pradeilles, R. et al., 2021, p. 739).
This phenomenon is most evidently seen through the practice of fattening rooms in
Annang Nigerian communities. Fattening rooms are secluded areas where prepubescent girls are
placed for a specified period of time, spanning from a few months to multiple years, to prepare them for childbirth (Brink, 1989, p. 655). The methods of preparation vary but they all keep one
main goal in mind: transform young women into “fat and beautiful girl[s]” (Brink, 1989, p. 655).
The fattening rooms are areas where young women are fed, taught the basics to motherhood, and
aim to prepare women to ensure a smooth birth and breastfeeding for multiple years to come
(Brink, 1989, p. 655). Fattening rooms are a clear example of how traditional Nigerian cultures
deeply value larger bodies for fertility and successful reproduction.
Fattening rooms are aspects of Nigerian culture intended to ensure that the social
expectations of women are met. That goal, which holds that women should be ever-giving and
sustaining mothers, aligns closely with Hofstede’s ideas of a strong-masculine culture. In
instances of a strong-masculine culture, an emphasis on traditional gender roles and social
expectations of femininity and masculinity is present (Hofstede, as cited in Anderson, 2012, pp.
238-239). In this context, men are viewed as protectors of the family, emphasizing success and
dominance. In contrast, women are portrayed as compassionate, cultivating an environment of
emotional and physical support (Hofstede, as cited in Anderson, 2012, pp. 238-239). By ensuring
that mothers are taught the basics of childcare and undergo a bodily transformation in
preparation for birth in fattening rooms, they are expected to take on the role of a woman in a
strong-masculine culture.
Beyond indicating fertility, a larger weight in Nigeria serves as a direct marker of social
hierarchy signifying wealth and status. Specifically in Nigeria, regions with lower
socioeconomic status tend to view high body weight as a sign of increased wealth, meaning that
in areas of limited resources, wealth is a sign of power (Mbada et al., 2009, p. 1).
Because families in poorer areas lack sufficient financial means and ready access to fresh
foods, wealth is a sign of a family’s significant resources and ability to spend more disposable income on food (Osayomi, 2020, p. 101). In addition, higher body weight can symbolize a
person’s freedom from the difficulty of physical labor (Osayomi, 2020, p. 101). Because intense
physical labor tends to result in a leaner, more petite, muscular frame, a person with more fat
would signal to others that they are not engaged in such strenuous work. This divergence
communicates a higher socioeconomic status when compared to the rest of the community. In
this way, higher body fat serves as a symbolic measure of wealth, indicating a greater
prominence within their societal hierarchy (Osayomi, 2020, p. 101).
An example of this pattern can be best seen in the Nigerian culture of the Yorùbá. As
discussed above, wealth is a direct indicator of the socioeconomic status of the individual; more
specifically, in the Yorùbá, heavy body weight is directly correlated with the strength of marriage
(Ibrahim & Jegede, 2017, p. 242). When a young Yorùbá woman marries and gains weight, it can
be evidence of prosperity and financial success, while the opposite can be said if the woman
loses weight (Ibrahim & Jegede, 2017, p. 242). Parents become increasingly concerned about
their daughter’s weight loss, questioning both the financial stability of her partner and the
validity of the marriage (Ibrahim & Jegede, 2017, p. 242). The interpretation of weight as
directly related to financial status, reflects collectivism and a high power distance culture, where
social hierarchy is accepted and widely displayed.
Collectivist cultures tend to reject individual goals over community ideals, prioritizing
the needs of the family and the surrounding community (Hofstede, as cited in Skow & Stephan,
2012, p. 293). In this way, Nigeria is considered a highly collectivist culture due to its emphasis
on group cohesion and the preservation of its shared values. Regarding the Yorùbá women,
collectivism plays a considerable role in shaping body image because it affects not only
individual identity, but family status as a whole. Furthermore, a woman gaining weight following marriage signals that her family has properly raised her and she is set to be very successful and
prosperous (Ibrahim & Jegede, 2017, p. 243). On the other hand, losing weight signals hardship
and a lack of preparation at the fault of the family, something that a Nigerian culture would
disapprove of (Ibrahim & Jegede, 2017, p. 242). Collectivist cultures, such as those in Nigeria,
hold the community at the forefront of decision making. Due to this, families in cultures similar
to the Yorùbá, could feel greatly affected by their daughter’s weight fluctuations because it could
affect the reputation of the entire family.
Weight as a representation of status is characteristic of not only a collectivist culture, but
also a high power distance culture. Hofstede suggests that a high power distance culture is one
that has elevated levels of inequality regarding wealth or position in society (Hofstede, as cited in
Anderson, 2012, p. 239). High power distance societies typically have rigid social hierarchies
that are rarely challenged (Hofstede, as cited in Anderson, 2012, p. 239). In Nigeria, the societal
hierarchy is, in part, set up by the combination of both socioeconomic status and increased
weight, as seen in the Yorùbá community. Members of this Nigerian culture acknowledge the
hierarchy and the inequality that comes with it, but do little to combat it, which signifies a high
power distance culture. They typically recognize status differences, and instead of changing the
system, attempt to climb it.
As discussed, traditional Nigerian culture emphasizes increased weight as advantageous
for female fertility and a symbol of earnest financial success. However, in recent years, the
concept of weight has posed significant challenges to individual identity with the resurgence of
Western thinness ideals present and influenced through social media. Western social media,
specifically in the United States, Canada and Western Europe, prioritizes health and wellness as a
staple of productive life, through creative workouts, aesthetic diets, and the promotion of small frames as the ideal figure (Marks et al., 2020, p. 1). As a result, emerging Western social media
poses immense challenges for Nigerian women, who have been raised with societal norms
emphasizing a larger weight (Ogunseyi et al., 2025, p. 102).
Tensions between Nigerian local culture and social media trends can significantly erode
both self-confidence and body image because one might question which culture has the “correct”
way of thinking (Ogunseyi et al., 2025, p. 102). This can result from an identity gap, which is a
misalignment of two layers of identity, typically causing tension (Pierson, 2025). Due to identity
gaps, many Nigerian women may feel pulled in opposite directions. In one instance, women may
feel pressure by local culture to conform to traditional rituals like participation in fattening
rooms. In the alternative, social media highlights negative aspects of weight gain and emphasizes
thinness as a lifestyle (Ogunseyi et al., 2025, p. 102). These directional pulls have the potential to
create feelings of inadequacy, confusion, and even at times, guilt, for not knowing which path to
follow.
The implications of this tension go far beyond personal discomfort and can completely
disrupt traditional cultural characteristics of society. For example, what would occur if Nigerian
women, propelled by the disruption of emerging social media norms, were to forego participation
in traditional childbirth preparations? This would not simply be the alteration of individual
preferences, but the failing of an entire cultural practice. Such a shift could turn the tide of a
culture that historically respects larger bodies, toward the prevailing Western ideology that frail
and undernourished bodies carry greater value.
Perception of body weight in Nigeria extends far beyond mere appearance and embraces
the country’s societal hierarchy, financial status, and perceived fertility of women. Thus,
changing environments, disrupted by Western media, pose tremendous risks to undermining valuable cultural practices like fattening rooms. In order to preserve cultural values, while also
respecting changing dynamics, it is crucial that Nigerian cultures learn more about the
importance of their own cultural nuances, instead of attempting to replace them. Only through
this delicate balance can traditional cultural practices be honored and respected, while also
allowing Nigerian women to navigate new and innovative globalization through social media.

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