Pastor Okonkwo Says Tattoos Are Not a Sin in the Bible

(Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo. Photo by PM news Nigeria)

Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo has defended tattoos, saying no scripture clearly declares tattooing a sin.

He said this in an online interview.

He said tattoos have always been part of human culture, not just in Nigeria but everywhere in the world, where tribal marks are common.

He recalled seeing older people in Lagos with tattoos.

Pointing to Isaiah 49:16, where God says He has inscribed His people on His hands, Okonkwo said the image made sense to the culture of the time because people used tattoos to remember.

He said it was like God saying He has tattooed you and can never forget you.

He also said Revelation mentions Christ having a name on His thigh.

On Leviticus 19:28, he said the verse is about not making marks for the dead and has nothing to do with tattoos.

He added that the next verse also talks about shaving.

He compared tattoos to microblading, saying women do microblading and it is accepted, yet tattoos are called wrong, even though microblading is a form of tattoo.

Okonkwo also said Christians today enjoy freedoms others fought for, like women wearing trousers and makeup.

He said there was a time when perfume and even television were frowned upon.

“Tattoos have always been part of human culture... There’s no scripture that says getting a tattoo is a sin.” — Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo pic.twitter.com/KriIK0L4H1

— YabaLeftOnline (@yabaleftonline) October 2, 2026