As a black Man with natural hair, I’ve come to expect fascination, ignorance and sometimes insensitivity about my appearance from people outside the black community. Comments such as “your hair is messy/crazy/wild today”, “you look like a sheep/brillo pad” and “your hair gets in the way” are frequently part of natural life. What I’m less ready to tolerate is criticism of natural hair from other black people (Nigerian Especially).

Sometimes the criticism is subtle, such as dirty looks in the street from other Black Men who have chosen to shave theirs into whatever style they wanted/black girls wearing their hair in weaves. Other times it’s from those closer to home. I have friends whose family members have repeatedly asked: “what are you doing with your hair?”. My Parents are not worried tho, they're only concerned about Keeping it neat and Good Looking

A few days ago, I moved to my Immediate elder bro's place in Portharcourt while preparing for an important interview (for my IT placement as an Architecture Student), a well-meaning black friend, advised me to straighten my hair, and another acquaintance recommended I “put it in a bun”. I was appalled. They failed to address any of my real concerns yet felt entitled to burden me with this “advice”. I went for the interview, feeling as if my hair was yet another thing counting .

On Getting there I was welcomed with a question from the Head Admin 'How do you Maintain your hair? Dont you feel pains? Do you comb it?.. And that was how the interview ended with me trying to answer questions concerning my hair.. (Thank Goodness there were other Firms ready to accept me for who I'm and not what I look like)

That same morning, his Land Lord came to our apartment demanding to see me. He said he saw me coming in the previous afternoon and wanted to 'advice' me to shave my hair (how do you want me to shave a 5 month old Dread).

Ever since Penultimate class in secondary school, I've been on either High Ponk or Mohawk, recently I decided it high time i made it into dreads, and since then all I've received is cristicim from Folks, Family Friends, Lecturers, some even went as far as reporting to my parents with reasons such as:

'You may be accused wrongly on the street for your hairstyle, You'll never get a Job with your hairstyle, This Hairstyle is only meant for Rascals. Seriously?

I want to ask 'Are black people (Men) not allowed to choose whichever hairstyle they wish to carry?, Or When did Natural Hair Become a Sin?

Bellow are pictures of me from my Penultimate Class till date

I wonder ooo, they just tend to put religious in everything. Na so dem dey ask me weda I nor dey get headache, and too much hair wont make people help me............. the funniest is my broda that went to do gallas and he was told he was doing the devils hair. I had to ask dem if they had seen the devil before with their korokoro eyes..

You can blame white supremacy for that

where are the pictures? can't comment without seeing them

The hair in your dp?