Nigerian women make up almost 50% of the total Nigerian population at 101.67 million. That means there are more Nigerian women in all of the African continent than any other woman. But these women constantly lie about their hair and looks. Why so insecure about their natural hair that it is constantly hidden under fake hair, wigs, and whatever else.
Three years ago, I took a trip to Nigeria and was so disappointed at the way the Nigerian women delighted in wearing every type of hair, but their God-given own although they call the name of God in every sentence and at every opportunity. In the weeks I spent in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt 98% of all the women I came across wore European-styled wigs, and weaves and seemed to feel these made them more beautiful. What a disappointment! Because these bone-straight wigs and others made them look like a bunch of confused humans.
Many see it as a status of sophistication and spend top dollars buying as many as they can, but nothing can be further from the truth.
The local television anchors looked ridiculous in their European/Asian/South American-styled wigs and weave. There was nothing authentic about them at all. And the movie industry Nollywood takes the cake of portraying these women with fake hair that contrasts with their features.
I started to wonder- is the Nigerian woman so insecure about her hair that she cannot flout her natural hair on the streets of Nigeria, where 99% of the people are African, or is she so brainwashed by what she sees on international television? whatever would happen if she was to cross the oceans to another continent? She will be completely lost! Or maybe she will then realize her foolishness in hiding her true natural beauty.
When you go to East Africa and parts of Southern Africa, the women are more authentic with their hair
Fortunately, there is 2% of Nigerian women in Nigeria who refuse to follow this outrageous trend and still flout their natural hair, Women as the renowned writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Who has become a great role model on how to be an authentic Nigerian woman to millions of young Nigerian girls. To women like her, I say kudos and raise my glass to them.
And to those who insist on wearing fake hair all the time, sisters you have no idea how beautiful your natural hair is. It is distinct and unique and no one else on the planet has that type of hair except if they are of African descent. I know in the Americas, especially the United States there were oppressive laws that literally bullied African American women to resort to straightening their hair to look more caucasian and wear wigs. As I write many African American women in Hollywood and on television have to hide their natural hair due to discrimination. Women of African descent lost jobs if they did not comply with looking a certain way on national television.
Fortunately, many states in the United States are changing this system. In 2019 the Stae of California signed into law The CROWN Act—a law that prohibits discrimination based on hairstyle and hair texture. Similar laws were adopted in New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Washington, Virginia, and Colorado. The State of Illinois has a similar law called Jett Hawkins Law.
I lived in the Caribbean for many years and while some Islands embrace their African heritage, others are slow to do the same. In Trinidad and Tobago women of African descent wear their natural hair more than women in Nigeria. In the Bahamas not so much, that is another Island that struggles with its identity.
In Brazil, the women of African descent are proud to wear their hair and flout their African heritage despite discrimination, also in Colombia, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Panama, The Afro women are out and proud.
While many places in the world outside Africa needed a law to be passed to avoid discrimination. Africa the origin of this unique hair texture should be flying the flag high, instead of trying to be a cheap imitation of caucasian hair and everything in between. Nollywood the Nigerian movie industry, the second largest in the world ought to use its huge platform to promote beautiful African hair and hairstyles. This is what many African diasporas love to see. The true African beauty and heritage
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