I am not familiar with the fattening rooms of Calabar, but I do know about the custom of force-feeding girls in Mauritania as "Chubbydiva" also mentioned. They obviously have no right to refuse, and this happens at very young ages (sometimes as early as six). Many girls fall ill because of it; some develop serious conditions (such as heart disease or diabetes) and sometimes even die. All this just so they can be married off to a man they don't know, because being overweight is viewed as a sign of wealth.
I don't know the specific details of how this plays out among other African peoples whether it is less extreme or less dangerous than in Mauritania.
But to me, it is simply abuse. A culture can certainly appreciate and value being overweight there is nothing wrong with that but when a segment of the population is force-fed to the point of ruining their health or even dying, I find that neither sexy nor glorious.
I hope women are not subjected to forced feeding among the other groups you mentioned.
8 hours
