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Nigerian Naturals Help!

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waffigrl

New Member
I've been living in the U.S. now for over 5 years, but I'm going back home this June (for the first time in 5 1/2 years!!!!!!!!....Yes BOSS :cheers:)

However.....I have natural hair....and I know exactly how Naija people are with "village/bush girl hair" :ohsnap:....so any tips on what I should do, where to get natural hair products, weather concerns, etc.

I'll be in Ibadan doing an internship in the hospital there, but I'll be mainly on the administrative side of things. My hair is still short (around 5-6 inches).

I just need advice, positive thoughts and recommendations. Should I get braids? Or rock my natural hair? Any recommended "acceptable" styles?

Help!!!
 
You can rock that natural hair but you are going to be a rebel. You are going to have to be strong and stand your ground. A lot of people here know my story of me being natural in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Black women were very nasty to me, calling me names on the street, laughing and pointing at me and even singing on the bus, "Daylight come and you need a perm." I got off the bus in tears because I felt my people were a lost cause. The names I was called were, weird, streetwise, homeless, nappy, shameful, etc. You will have to have a strong character.
 
waffigrl I'm a Nigerian myself. How long are you going to be at IB? Go get braids. I know a lot of ladies while I was in Nigeria growing their natural hair out. They mainly wore braids and weaves.

You have to develop a will of steel to rock a 5 inch twistout.
 
My dear save yourself the heartache.... Not worth it (for now)... Get some braids before you leave... Even cornrows ma sef will work..... Redo every 2 weeks.. ask for a braider whose hand is not painful.... Nothing wrong with wearing cornrows to work in IB.... in Abuja they can kill you... but thats another story...

About products..stock up before u leave here... Stock up.. buy basic Giovanni 50:50 shampoo to clarify/wash.... and maybe ORS conditioner cos its a good balance between moisture and protein... PM me if you need more recommendations.. I gotchu ... lol

even people wey no go school... even people wey no get hair.. the kain curse wey dem go curse u eh... lol? Believe me.. doing hair is cheap in IB... You can braid for 1K... Either that... or just be speaking phoneh.... so dem go take another eye look u... lol.. Good luck n kep us posted....
 
judy4all ROFL, which one be speaking phoneh? abeg jor I go speak my pidgin english make them give me cheaparticle price jare, I still be student

Thank u all! I guess its going to be braids. I don't want to create time to deal with people smh.
 
Another vote for braids. I had a hard enough time with my mom. I can't imagine going through that with everybody you run into. Not to mention the way your attendings and patients will be talking to/about you. Go for braids
 
I don't know where you can get products in Ibadan. I found a lot of products in Lagos though. And there are quite a few naturals in Lagos too. There was even natural hair meet Up late last year.
The last time I went to Nigeria, I used a faux puff on my hair daily. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of a short twistout myself, not everyone can pull it off.
I didn't get called any bad names. My aunts were like you are keeping natural hair, *indulgent smile*; "anyway you always had a lot of Kenyan friends, and those people wear their hair natural a lot, that's why you know what to do with your natural hair". "anyway it looks good sha". Etc. those comments didn't bother me.

But you might want to just get braids- great protective style and less hassle all around. The suggestion about corn rows is a good one too.
Good Luck!
 
waffigrl LOL...babe.... e no dey work... pidgin english for cheapprice?.... no dey work again... people don get sense.. If you need cheap price... just beg.... lol... And maybe they'll pity u... About phoneh? Not when u go and do ur hair or go to market (because them go open shop for your head) ... but sey you are around your friends or people wey tear eye.. and you want to carry your afro like that.. you better speak english!

For real tho... Just do you... E no matter... no stress... Dem no dey share money... I've carried my 4 inch takoko hair in Abuja.. them curse me, but e no bother me.. my family o.. everybody.. they will even be offering you their wig... someone will offer to pay for your hair... etc... But do not despair... The lord is your strength.. lol
 
I am of Nigerian descent. I big chopped last year and everyone loved my hair when I went there for a a few weeks last fall. My hair is a lot like my grandmothers and she is natural. To be honest, I am not particularly concerned with what people think, quite stubborn and snarky so even if people hated it, they probably would not bother saying anything to me because they are scared of my mouth.

Get a thick skin and ignore them all. Enjoy your hair.
 
I will go for braids since you probably won't have time to take care of it, being in a new place and a new job and all.
 
I'd suggest twists or a weave. I personally hate moving anywhere/visiting and needing to find a way to resume my hair routine. Take what you need, and have your hair put away. Between the move, the weather, and having to get re-oriented to a new locale, you're better off not having your hair to worry about and it will love a short hide-your-hair challenge!!

Vanity Oils sell all kinds of oils and they are Naija gals based in Lagos (used to live in the US). Don't go hoping/thinking you will be able to secure what you need. Life doesn't always work out as planned, so have a plan B, C, D ...etc.
 
I know you ask for advice from Nigerians but when I went to Ghana in Feb, I brought my lace wig. The weather was too hot so I decided to get my hair washed and twisted up using my own hair....lawd, that was an issue. My mom kept calling me a "village girl" and everyone said I should just wear my wig. I suffered so much from the constant sweat for almost two before I could my hair braided. My advice is to just get either a weave or braids and bring as much hair products you use.
 
Wow...reading this is so sad! They really hate natural hair in Nigeria? I figured you would go and everybody would be more accepting...I have heard it was bad but not that bad! Everybody in here says braid it up! lol
 
lol.... ^ They dont hate it.... They just think it's juvenile and extremely unsophisticated. Culturally, they are VERY VERY VERBAL about their thoughts... So you'll hear it all, which can be very disheartening and uncomfortable.
 
Another voter for braids.

If you were in some parts of Lagos, then getting away with Natural hair would be cool, but in IB:nono:, forget it.
 
If you enjoy your natural hair I think you should wear it. People only change when they can't use social pressure to make you change. Who knows, seeing you living and loving life with your real hair might inspire others who were too afraid of what "they" might say.
 
Why not just get your hair braided over there? It will be cheaper and easier to maintain.
 
TalkTru said:
Another voter for braids.

If you were in some parts of Lagos, then getting away with Natural hair would be cool, but in IB:nono:, forget it.
Click to expand...

My sentiments exactly, in Lagos I always wear twist/twist-outs whilst I'm there nobody bats an eyelid, or maybe they just chalk it down to me being weird :lachen:
 
I agree with the braids. I'm Nigerian and I'm going home for the holidays. I plan on getting a wig just to get me over and getting braids when I'm there. It's the easiest solution.
 
I think I'll probably do braids/twists on my own hair before I get to Nigeria, so I can have time to pick a very good braider.
I had a horrible experience from one Nigerian braider, from before I moved to the US (as in I spent a year with a shaved head to avoid hair braiders lol)

I think I'll probably wear my hair out when I go back for Christmas after my internship, when its a bit longer.
 
afrofaithful said:
Wow...reading this is so sad! They really hate natural hair in Nigeria? I figured you would go and everybody would be more accepting...I have heard it was bad but not that bad! Everybody in here says braid it up! lol
Click to expand...

No they dont. They just havent gotten into the wearing it out curly like fros. It looks more presentable when styled like braids, twists, corn rows and even TWAs.

Like everyone said, get braids. Personally, I would just get corn rows and you can get it washed and re-done at a salon.
 
I guess for less hassle in IB, braids would be best. Make sure you have enough products before you go. As for Lagos rock your fro,twistouts wash n fro etc.

@Shocklate Your username reminded me of my bible study leader lmbo she always said. "Can I have the shoglate bo' ? You know, the kandi bo' (chocolate bowl).
 
I am half Nigerian and I can tell you that many of my relatives are natural. Africans do not care about whether one's hair is natural or not as long as it is groomed. If you carry braids or a short natural cut Nigerians do not care but if you wear your natural hair ungroomed (big uncombed, unmoisturised afro) then you will get a serious side eye.

Then again you have some people who don't care like that half Nigerian half Indian popular tv presenter for Naija Idols (Nigerian version of American Idols) and he wears a big poofy afro and doesn't care what anyone thinks. Though he does say he was given lots of flack growing up and not controlling his big fro. People will always have something to say!!!!!

Best,
Almond Eyes
 
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