While Nigeria still grapples with accepting the fact that some women prefer to wear their hair naturally, it appears that no-one really speaks about the men.
As far as I know, the norm in Nigeria is that most men get a haircut every week or every other week. Every now and then, one comes across a Nigerian man with an Afro, dreadlocks or corn-rowed hair. This is quite rare though and hardly happens in most professional environments. As far as I know, only one of my male colleagues wears his hair long. He has shoulder length dreadlocks and is African American, not Nigerian.
It would appear that there is an unspoken agreement that men will keep their hair short and at most get some waves/curls in with the help of “sporting waves” hair cream. The idea that a man will shampoo, condition or even pay more than cursory attention to his hair appears to be regarded as unmanly.
Does your man wear his hair long? Would you encourage your son to wear his hair long? What are your thoughts on men who wear their hair in Afros or longer? Men, would you wear your hair long?
Rhapsody
In the Caribbean men hairstyles are very diverse in fact the manner of styles can range from bald, dread, long, short, cornrows, permawaved to permed. Some even go so far as to braid their beards, yes I said beards.
It is only now I see westernizes men of african decent starting to be diversified with their hair styles. The dreadlock is now accepted not so stigmatized and its been essentially decriminalized, some wear it permed, long, waved, braided and cornrowed.
I have never seen a nigerian male with dreadlocks, it is true it seem from my observation it is you say they mostly wear it short.
Natural Nigerian
Beard braiding? Oh, ooook then.
We have a few Nigerian men that wear their hair in locs but most of them are models, artistes or rebels to the norms of society š
mikki
Naturally, I love to see a fresh cut/shave on my man but, every once in a while I come across a man with very well kept dreads and I smile. I don’t think grown men should cornrow/braid their hair. no matter how neat the braid may be it still appears very juvenile and out of place. The afro I believe is one of the hardest cuts to maintain. when it comes to the afro there is a very thin line between neat and unkempt.
My opinion. either cut it, lock it or Go Bald.
š
P.s.
No one ever really does think about men and natural hair… even though I am a woman, Thanks for posting…
Natural Nigerian
Go bald…a lot of guys will not have a problem following that instruction :).
9jaFOODie
Hummm—- I agree, the norm is that men wear their hair short, long hair to me takes away from a mans sense of security and his masculinity. I believe it’s not my place to dictate how my man wears his hair but I will prefer he keeps a low cut.
Natural Nigerian
I hear you!
Chinenye Ezedike
I never liked a man with hair…I tried but I will often have a dream that he asked me to use my hair comb. My husband is bald and it is alright with me. Some women love it though.
Natural Nigerian
Lol! What a dream!
o
That’s Hilarious!! As for me, I think I may get jealous of his hair. LOL
Myne Whitman
I don’t mind Afros on guys if they keep it neat, will also cornrow a child’s air if he has lots of hair.
Natural Nigerian
I actually like seeing young boys (pre high school) with cornrows. Not sure I would do it myself…
Dee!
My hubby does not have hair on his head.
I would not encourage my son to wear his hair long.
If I see a guy with a little afro, I would not mind so long as that guy maintains the afro well. However, if I see a guy with cornrows I might classify him wrongly (I may be wrong, I am be right).
I think long hair is to women as clean shave is to men. š
Natural Nigerian
i know what you mean about that classification…..we all stereotype others one way or the other.
Floetrymama
I must really be sooooo out there lol. I love guys with neat locs,braids and Afros , my husband by the way has no hair lol which is neither here or there but I have no issues with guys with hair as far as it’s neat and well kept e.g Uti Nwachukwu is rocking his locs Fierce!! As I said in another post I braided my sons hair for a major part of his baby days and would probably have continued doing so if his hair hadn’t ben cut.
trae_z
Would love to do funky things to my hair but i’m bidding time; just tied down a job…interview process and all and so wanted to play it safe. But once i settle into work i’m looking to explore. Abj, Jos and Makurdi ain’t encouraging but my frequent recent trips to Lagos and i’m feeling the positive vibes from naturals men and women alike.
Natural Nigerian
We are getting there slowly. It will spread around soon….just a matter of time.
Candy
I love the look and feel of both bald and TONS of hair – not so much the in-between. My husband is usually bald, and it’s lovely (he has a perfectly shaped head, lol), but it just hits a happy spot when I see a man with a huge fro or locs hanging down past his shoulders. I’m definitely glad that my little boy has decided that he wants to grow his fro out again like mine. Though he’s only five, he’s very serious about proper care and presentation.
Obi
My hubby would always shave it all off, bald. I complained. Asked for a little brush of hair, cos I like the dark silhouette on the head. He indulged me, now would only go bald once a month or once every 6 weeks. For me, I don’t mind bald but I love me a well shaped moustache. I find that sexy. I think boys up to perhaps 16/ 17 should not keep dreads/ locs. Takes a lot to maintain. Who’s paying? Who’s responsible for the neatness? Its heavy for children’s growing heads. It can smell especially when kids play and sweat, with no regard for hair and its maintenance. The burden of upkeep is on the parents really. I just think there are better things a parent could be doing than investing in maintaining dreads/locs. I’m still not used to the idea of boys with weaving/ cornrows. But a little fro on a boy is cute. My thing is mostly maintenance and “is it really necessary?”
Curlymichelle
My husband rocks a fro n I love it! So does my son. If it’s a well groomed fro, I bet it’d work in any corporate setting.
Surajo Khadi
I have bald hair where your shop location in lagos, what is the price, how it work and more???
Glenda
What i want to know why Nigerian men don’t have a beard
yaneez
As a young man it afro, I stand my ground to comment in support of men in afro. Now, let’s start with personal interest. I’ve grown my hair to afro cos I love to see myself in big hair, also that I am a musical instrumentalist so the hair gives me some tug. On very several occasions, I have had to cut my hair cos my uncles, aunties, elderly people around me and even my parents hate to see me in it and offcos, they have their reasons. cutting my hair has been just to please these people and in turn, I am unhappy. I think as much as the society has a screened eye at men in afro, it also has to understand that if it where an uncool thing to do, God wouldn’t have created us all with the ability to grow it. The watch word is cleanliness. It has to be clean. I bet, a sense of responsibility can be stitched to the afro style.