Why kinky braids, locks are setting Gen Z males against police
yarkarkara
By Prisca Sam-Duru
Male braids and dreadlocks have for years become a popular trend among the youth. Trendy hair styles reserved for women in the past, are now redefining masculinity at every nook and cranny of Nigeria. Even Okada riders who migrated from the northern part of the country to cities like Lagos, have taken to stylish haircuts, with locs at the centre, as some sort of identity. It doesn’t matter if the hair is rocked without washing for weeks.
Gradually, braiding of hair is evolving into a form of artistry and identity for most male Gen zs in the country. They have been turning their hair into statements with braids, dyed curls, creative fades and partial locs. The more people criticize them, the more they invent more trendy styles.
The growing influence of pop culture is largely responsible for this trend. Popular styles include cornrows, box braids, and Fulani braids. Some other styles include stitch, French, jumbo and Mohawk braids. Most often, the styles are combined with diverse parting styles like zigzag, wavy or twists.
Note that one’s personality is easily captured through the hair and the Gen Zs are currently using stylish braids and dreads to reflect creativity. They believe this stands them out especially in fashion, entertainment industries and as footballers.
Many, especially those speaking from a religious perspective believe that it is an anomaly for men to be seen with stylish hair styles like women. For them, it is a complete sign of erosion of values as Africans which, according to them, speaks eloquently of how much the youth have been negatively influenced by western world.
This is how a social media user reacted to a video demonstrating male braiding. “I’ve been braiding since I was eight. I’m now in my early 50s. I’ll be braiding my son’s hair this weekend.” Hmmn! While some parents say it’s a taboo, few others are encouraging it.
The fact of the matter is that most of these boys rocking braids are jobless, while perambulating the streets as if they are celebrities. It baffles one how the bad economy does not affect their hair-do. They spend a significant amount of money to maintain their hair, be it braiding, dreadlocks and hair colours; yet the majority are just ‘hustling’ up and down. So how do they maintain the trendy hair styles?
In addition, majority of people, especially law enforcement agents, believe some use the fashionable hairs to pose as artists or entertainers but are yahoo boys (internet fraudsters), drug addicts, and cultists in disguise. This is the reason Gen Zs rocking trendy hairs always attract security officers’ stop and search operations. Male braid is not only regarded as culturally unfitting, it exposes guys to unnecessary harassment by law enforcement. People may not always take such guys seriously. They are mostly seen as never-do-well.
Despite how badly the officers have treated them on the road, the trend has endured. In fact, more and more fancy styles emerge every day. “As barbers, we make our own hairs to advertise the hair styles we can do. It attracts customers for us,” Ayomide, a young barber in his early thirties explained.
Most youths also imitate braids by football legends like Kanu Nwankwo and other foreign based footballers who are their idols.
They argued that there was a time, parents rocked Afros and different sophisticated hair styles. They therefore do not see anything wrong with trendy hairs for male Gen Zs especially as many of them are into music, design, art, content creation, etc. For them, their appearance is a part of the brand. Also, they want to be left alone as long as it’s not hurting anyone.
These guys condemn those who judge people’s morality by their hairstyle, describing the trend as the youth trying to express themselves in the same manner as their parents, but in modern era.
Majority of the Gen Zs copy hair styles of musicians such as Flavour, Phyno, Burna Boy, Asake, Fireboy, Tekno etc. Many social media influencers growing in leaps and bounds, who the youths revere, also make the list. All they care about is that such an influencer is doing something they believe is positive to them and the society; his hairstyle trends alongside his offerings.
As there’s growing demand for trendy hairstyles for men, beauty salons are phasing out as spaces meant for only women. Young guys are training to become stylists instead of just barbers. Since most women now chase after expensive wigs, guys have taken braids from them. As a result, even barbers’ shops have incorporated braiding, hair colouring and locs to their services. And you know what, these male stylists end up ‘stealing’ many female customers from the salons owned by women. It’s natural!
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