Nigerian Women And Craze For Brazilian Hair

The craze for artificial hair extensions, also known as weave-on, by Nigerian women has become a huge financial burden to most families and it erodes African culture and creative artistry. 

In the past, most African women took pride in flaunting their natural hair. But gone are those days as most of them have embraced fixing of Brazilian, Indian, Mongolian, Peruvian and other brands of human hair. Some homes have been torn apart over inability of husbands to afford these usually expensive hair extensions which have become a thriving beauty sensation amongst Nigerian women.

Mrs. Edirin Mathew, a middle aged housewife, told Newsworld she’s currently nursing injuries she sustained in a fight that was triggered by her husband’s inability to afford N120, 000 for Brazilian hair. To her, there is no excuse for her husband being unable to afford this new trend that will give her a psychedelic look. Ironically, while most women are in trouble with their men over the Brazilian hair, the marketers are smiling to their banks.

Mrs. Tagbo Obiora of Utako Market in Abuja is a weave-on seller. She told Newsworld how lucrative it is to sell Brazilian hair. “Na our season we de enter now,” she said in Pidgin English, stressing that the coming yuletide provides the best season of sales. According to Tagbo, most women would rather not cook food for their families on Christmas day than not to look beautiful in their new clothes and artificial hair.  

She explained that the “artificial hair” comes in different lengths: “We have different lengths- 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 24 and 32 inches. The 10 inches which is the shortest is sold for N45, 000, while the longest which is 32 inches is sold for N120, 000. Also, you are expected to buy two packs because a pack will be too scanty to bring out the beauty.”

However, there appears to be different strokes for different folks. Mrs. Omojo Akor, a civil servant who was among some ladies met styling their hair at a salon in Wuse 2, Abuja, said she cannot afford to buy weave-on for N120, 000.  “I will see myself as a woman who does not know the value of money …. We have so many responsibilities like paying children school fees, house rent… and helping the less privileged….” she stressed.

But Miss Julian Okeye, a student of the Nigerian Law School, Bwari, Abuja has a different opinion on the matter as she said, “money is meant to be spent, if you are labouring it’s all for your body, nobody will take money to heaven. So if you have the money, flaunt it.”  

Nevertheless, the two major religions in the country seem not only to forbid the use of weave-on or hair attachments, but very expensive items. It is part of religious beliefs that such money should be spent on charity rather than being ‘wasted’ on expenses items. According to Deaconess Margret Osuade of Deeper Life Bible Church Kubwa, Abuja, adding attachment to natural hair is a sin and forbidden in church.

Osuade wondered why believers would invest money in earthly things that can neither profit them nor glorify the name of God. She recalled how a son of a widow dropped out of school because of N5, 000, in a compound where some other women spent more than that amount on luxuries.

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Though, some men encourage their wives to use attachment, other women indulge in it to enhance their beauty and keep their husbands’ eyes off younger ladies. 

Mr. Daniel Nwabufo, a businessman in Utako Market when asked if he can give his wife N120, 000 to buy hair extension, said “yes if a man has the money why won’t he make his wife look beautiful for him. An Igbo man can wear the same shirt for months, but his level of wealth will be known through his wife, with the kind of expensive wrapper, jewelleries and car in her care,” he said. 

While it is agreed that women who wear weave-on should not be castigated or condemned in public, those whose husbands cope with such beauty additions are not expected to do out of compulsion as there are other family needs that are more important.