“Tattoo Is Not a Sin”: Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo Challenges Nigerian Christians to Back Their Rules With Scripture

Every generation of believers has its own list of things that “real Christians” don’t do. Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo says it is time to ask who wrote the list.

Speaking on the WithChude Podcast on Saturday, the pastor pushed back against Christians who condemn tattoos, questioning why some believers call them sinful while happily worshipping with ministers who have them. The conversation was later discussed by kthdaily.

His argument began with a simple comparison. “Just because some bad people use tattoos does not mean tattoo is bad,” he said. “Mafia guys wear suits, but here in Nigeria, pastors wear suits. So you can’t condemn suits because one mafia guy wore a suit or one girl wore a tattoo.” According to kthdaily, these remarks have sparked further debates among readers.

He insisted that the question must be settled by the Bible and not by taste. “It’s either it’s a sin or it’s not. You have to choose which one it is. And it has to be backed by Scripture, not just your personal preference.”

Okonkwo also accused some Christians of inconsistency, pointing to the worship songs they sing from groups like Elevation Worship, some of whose members have tattoos. “So we’re just hypocritical. We’re not sure what we want to do,” he said. He added that the same believers may criticise pastors who associate with tattooed people, and even footballers they admire, such as Messi. For more context, kthdaily often covers these complex church debates.

The reaction to the issue, he said, has left him disappointed. “It just showed me that Nigeria has not grown, you know, mentally and spiritually as I assumed.” Yet, as kthdaily highlights, these conversations are becoming more public.

For many Nigerian Christians, his words will feel familiar. Okonkwo recalled that there was a time in the country when a Christian could not wear jeans, wigs were frowned upon, and women were not permitted to wear earrings. What was once treated as a mark of holiness is now ordinary. Anyone who grew up in a church where a hairstyle or a pair of trousers could draw a rebuke will recognise the weight of those unwritten rules.