₦airaland Forum

Oluwadamilare Joseph grew up thinking the tumours on his face were completely natural until the relentless abuse from strangers forced him to hide away.

The 21-year-old was diagnosed with trichoepithelioma when he was just six years old.

It is a rare genetic condition that causes tumours to grow from hair follicles.

Because his mum, brothers and cousins all live with the condition, the 21-year-old thought his skin was completely normal.

But growing up in Cross River State, Nigeria, the bullying became relentless.

He says he had to stop going to secondary school on Fridays just to cope with the discrimination.

Even now, strangers stop him in the street to make uneducated guesses about his face. ‼

People often assume he has a contagious disease like monkeypox or chickenpox.

And the cruelty has followed him online.

After building an audience of over 100,000 followers on TikTok to raise awareness, trolls began targeting his account.

Strangers send him direct messages telling him he should be isolated from society and demanding he delete his profile.

His page has even been suspended three times because people keep maliciously reporting his videos out of ignorance.

Yet Oluwadamilare says he just wants to educate people.

"Some people stop me on the street to ask questions that I have to live with for the rest of that week," he said.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ5Y_HbibWk/?igsh=MWZ2MjZyMHN6bnFpcA==



https://www.tiktok.com/video/7662313624366566664?_r=1&_t=ZS-98CEGrhXCK0


https://www.tiktok.com/video/7656377864606010631?_r=1&_t=ZS-98CEHq28JH6

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/rare-condition-means-tumours-over-37443196

if u are healthy,,sleep/wake up well,enjoy 365 Miracle.STAND UP,DANCE and give God PRAISE

Damn irritating
Try to dey apply makeup like women
Or try plastic surgery

muyico:
Damn irritating
Try to dey apply makeup like women
Or try plastic surgery

This shows that you are among those bullying him on social media

muyico:
Damn irritating
Try to dey apply makeup like women
Or try plastic surgery

Soo unintelligent of you sir.

There's nothing wrong with his face

The guy is so cute and handsome

There should be a medical solution for this. Handsome guy now worry, devil is a liar

E do me some how for body sha oooo

We need to stop this nonsense called cyber bullying. If you're thin skinned ... don't be on SM. He has 100 000 followers ... and is upset with the few haters? Why would you want to get the roses off the rose tree and not get pricked by the thorns? People will always ask him about his condition .. scared of it and make ignorant comments. I wonder if he ever tried seeking ltraditional treatment?.. or just accept what the hospital says and shut the door on any other option?

Must he bring everything to the internet?

Always crying fowl when they can't keep their hands to themselves.

It was just last year I learned about this condition and after searching the name on google

That’s the fastest I’ve closed a page and never again

Pretty sure no one feels ok seeing it but no one should talk down or bully someone suffering from it

emmy512:
It was just last year I learned about this condition and after searching the name on google

That’s the fastest I’ve closed a page and never again

Pretty sure no one feels ok seeing it but no one should talk down or bully someone suffering from it

God bless your kind words.

muyico:
Damn irritating
Try to dey apply makeup like women
Or try plastic surgery

You are cruel, unkind.

Say no to cyber bullying. It’s not nice at all 🥹

Hmmm.

He didn't create himself like this but it's irritating. He should get it done properly with surgery

Stop body-shaming people. I don talk am before.

Exceed15:
You are cruel, unkind.

Marvieduke:
This shows that you are among those bullying him on social media

Let's be real here, there's nothing really cruel about @muyico's comment; I dont believe his comment was made with malicious intent. Also, except there's now a new definition for the word "bullying", I don't see how his comment amounts to "bullying".

That being said, I sincerely wish the guy in the video the best and hopefully a solution is found for his condition.

He must be going through a lot.

Marvieduke:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ5Y_HbibWk/?igsh=MWZ2MjZyMHN6bnFpcA==



https://www.tiktok.com/video/7662313624366566664?_r=1&_t=ZS-98CEGrhXCK0


https://www.tiktok.com/video/7656377864606010631?_r=1&_t=ZS-98CEHq28JH6

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/rare-condition-means-tumours-over-37443196

He's a very brave human being. Uncommon mental strength

Let humanity lead

I believe there is a solution to this condition.
Such a handsome you man.

Instead of cyber bullying anyone, just be grateful to God. Because no one has control over their body system or health.

Damn

This is quite unsightly

What kind of disease is this?

God forbid BAT thing

emmy512:
It was just last year I learned about this condition and after searching the name on google

That’s the fastest I’ve closed a page and never again

Pretty sure no one feels ok seeing it but no one should talk down or bully someone suffering from it

What's the name of the condition and what is the cause?

Ordinary watching this sef can get
someone infected..😱🤮🤢

I dey go collect immunization tomorrow,
sharp sharp...💊💉💊

Tufiakwa for plate lickers🥵🥵🥵

God bless his soul. He is a handsome young man and I have seen ladies falling for people with worse conditions.
Forget the bullies. They don't have a life. Keep pressing on.

muyico:
Damn irritating
Try to dey apply makeup like women
Or try plastic surgery

for your mind now you don talk abi? You're still a children.

Diamond098454:
There's nothing wrong with his face

The guy is so cute and handsome

If someone say you should have the same thing on your face would you say Amen?

What's irritating is irritating that does not mean one is bullying him but it is honestly irritating but having said that i expect that having lived for more than 12 years with this he should have developed a thick skin for the "bullying" because people can only really bully you if you let them. So he shouldn't be expecting people not to feel irritated by his looks or pretend it is ok by saying "nice" words like the one you are saying to make him feel ok with himself whereas 8 out 10 people wouldn't pretend in this case and am the 8th of those people but i expect him to have toughen up by now against such comments since he cannot do anything about it or how people feel about it.

Me am a realist no faking shit and at the same time don't give 2 fs about what people say about me.

He needs to get rid of that thing. He can go for surgery, it doesn't look good on him at all.

LeeSmart:
Soo unintelligent of you sir.

I understand you might want to extend a respectful courtesy towards someone you don't know beyond a faceless platform but using sir for a 16 years old muyico is an aberration.

Damn. I hope he goes for laser therapy or surgical removal. That's irritating to look at.