Lupita Nyong’o endeared herself to the rest of the global black community even more than she already has last weekend at Essence magazine’s seventh annual Women in Hollywood luncheon when she gave an emotional speech about the importance of loving yourself whether you’re light-skinned or dark-skinned. However, Dencia, the infamous bleach-skinned pop star from Nigeria, wasn’t a fan of Nyong’o’s speech and she blasted the Oscar winner on Twitter.
For those that don’t know, Dencia’s shade stems from a section in Nyongo’s speech in which she reads a fan’s letter about deciding against using Dencia’s popular bleaching cream “Whitenicous” after seeing the beauty in Lupita.
“I think you’re really lucky to be this black but yet this successful in Hollywood. I was just about to buy Dencia’s ‘Whitenicious’ cream when you appeared on the world map and saved me,” said the letter.
Well, when Dencia got word of Nyong’o’s speech, she took it upon herself to blast the actress for mentioning her, saying that she doesn’t have a leg to stand on when it comes to championing blackness.
It’s absolutely shameful that Dencia, who clearly had issues embracing and loving the skin, hair, body and identity she was born with, decided to take a moment of sheer vulnerability and self-acceptance and taint it with projected self-hate, shade and malice for a woman who has done nothing but speak words of hope and love since she became famous.
As we did before, we applaud Nyong’o for telling that young woman’s story and for telling so many dark-skinned people around the world, who may feel unworthy and unattractive, that they are beautiful and valuable. – nicholas robinson
