Disturbing Photo Of Traditional Removal Of Uvula From The Mouth And Private Part Of A Newborn Babies In Kano

Photographer Sani Maikantaga posted this disturbing photo of a Wanzami (local barber in Kano) removing Uvula from the mouth and private part of a newborn babies. (Uvula is the fleshy piece of tissue hanging down over your tongue toward the back of your mouth)

The procedure is called "Cire Beli" in Hausa. From the little we could gather, it's done for medical and health reasons. After the cut is what an Hausa social media user wrote about it: 

"When u get a cold or sumthin... the thingie (bellie?) gets infected and it hurts... so Hausa people and other people around the world, cut it off from birth. But i kinda disagree with such practice.. because the thingie (bellie) is like a shield (or filter).... so.. it gets infected FIRST and the infection stays there... if not, then the infection will carry on and go into the body... u grab? there has to be a reason why God placed it there...
My dad didn't have his removed.. my mom got hers removed.. but meeh and my sibs still have ours...some Hausa people also believe that it will grow long and choke the person... and that's just...outrageous..lol"