Women
Our Natural Hair Is Our Natural Crown – Amakiri

Mrs. Ibinabo Amachere
Mrs Ibinabo Amakiri is a natural hair enthusiast who out of her passion for natural hair abandoned the practice of Law for natural hair business. In April 2015, she opened one of the foremost natural hair salons in Port Harcourt – Fro Nation – to promote natural hair as better option for African women.
Our Deputy Editor (Features) Calista Ezeaku caught up with this proud African woman in her PRA office and she spoke passionately on the gains of wearing natural hair and how to achieve that. Excerpts:
Why did you aban
don Law for natural hair business?
How I normally explain it is that Law is a profession and natural hair and craft is my passion to a point in my life that I decided it was time for me to follow my passion. I’ve been doing Law for 13 years and I felt I could always go back to Law at any time and I decided to venture into my passion. So that led me into starting the natural hair salon. We started in the first week of April 2015.
How has the journey been so far?
Very very interesting. I’m excited because I see it catching on. When it started, it wasn’t very popular. Now natural hair is trending. Many more people are open-minded, accepting that relaxers damage our hair. They now understand that natural hair is the best way to have healthy hair and the best way African hair should be maintained.
Are there advantages of natural hair over relaxed hair?
Natural hair is the way African hair is supposed to be but because we did not understand how to manage it before, everyone turned to relaxer and felt that was a way they could actually handle their hair. But relaxers are chemicals and the problem is that after prolonged application of relaxers, your hair gets damaged. We have hair types which starts from one to four and our natural African hair falls between 3C and 4C. But when you apply relaxer and it straightens the hair, you are taking your 4C kinky, curly hair all the way to type one which is straight like the Europeans’ hair. So your hair actually goes through a lot of pressure to go from 4C kinky, curly hair to type one and with that it weakens. Chemicals weaken the hair and with time it starts getting damaged. But since we now know how to handle our natural African hair, we now know the products, the technique, we know everything we need to put in, it’s now easier to handle and manage.
You often hear women complain about the difficulty in combing it and all that. Why should they be subjected to such pain?
Natural hair in its natural state is wild, hard, strong and untamed, but once you understand that it needs a lot of moisture, you have to ensure that your hair is moisturized at every point in time. And by moisture, I mean water. Water is the first ingredient natural hair needs. Once you put in water, oils, leave-in conditioner and you ensure that you steam your hair regularly, (we call it deep conditioning), then your hair now becomes tamed, it becomes manageable. So it’s basically understanding what you need to put in and the technique of managing it that gets it right.
What are the steps towards going natural?
First of all, it’s a mind set shift. Natural hair is very difficult from relaxed hair. It’s not what you are used to. So I think the first step is making up your mind that with natural hair you have to be hands on and you have to care for your hair if not your hair will get damaged. So it is that mind set shift that your hair is not going to be long and you will not be able to toss it around anymore but that your hair is going to grow big and wild. So embracing that change is the first step. And then, the next step is to stop relaxing your hair. Just stop putting relaxers into your hair and your hair starts growing. We call it transitioning process.
How long does that take?
Normally, I advise that you transition for six to eight months. Your undergrowth would have come out to a considerable level where you are comfortable before chopping off. But some people opt for the big chop and the big chop is you don’t have the time to waste, you want your natural hair to start growing from the root, and so you cut off all your relaxed hair and start your journey afresh.
I have heard women complain that natural hair does not make women look classy and sophisticated like the relaxed hair, what can you say?
For me, I think natural hair is beautiful. I think it’s versatile. I always advise, don’t get stuck in a style rot. Be open-minded and versatile with your hair. We have many styling options. Just ensure your hair is well taken care of, ensure that it doesn’t look unruly and wild and put it into a nice style. We have styles you can do with only your natural hair, like finger curls. We have a lot of options of styling your natural hair. We also have hair styles for career women like up dos. It makes you look very different, pretty and you stand out.
How affordable is natural hair option?
I always say natural hair is as expensive as you want to make it. Why I say so is that there are basic things that you need. The basic things you need are water, oil and shea butter. Those are found within our locality. They are easily affordable and available in the market. We also have a lot of do it yourself mixtures. We call them DIYs. For do it yourself mixs, we use banana, avocado, peas, cocoanut milk. So I feel you can make it as cheap or expensive as you want. As a student or someone on a budget, you can opt for DIY mixtures and the basics. But when you want to push it a notch higher, you can start using the imported products and that is when natural hair becomes expensive because of the cost of bringing these products into the country. But with DIYs and with Nigerian companies now looking inwards and coming up with their own mixtures and brands, it is getting more and more affordable.
Is there any difference between the natural hair and dread lock?
Prior to this new trend, the only way women understood how to carry natural hair in a manageable way was to lock it down and put it into dreadlocks. That’s just a process of palm-rolling the hair and getting the hair infused overtime and matured into locks which they managed. But this new trend of carrying your afro freely, is versatile and different. So I think originally, people were not used to seeing afros without being locked. So once they see natural hair, the next thing is they will say is your hair doesn’t have relaxer in it, okay you have dreadlocks. But I think the situation is gradually changing. People are realizing that there are women who not because of religion, or anything, who are not trying to make a political statement but are just embracing their natural hair that God has given them and have chosen to wear the hair in different ways. Having a free flowing afro is more versatile than locking your hair down because when you lock your hair into dread locks, you basically have your locks and it is almost permanent. But with free flowing afro, you can braid it, you can fix weavon. There are many things you can do with it. You can also straighten your hair.
Can you say that Port Harcourt women are catching up with the trend?
Oh yes! Oh they are! I have been natural for three years now and I remember when I first started I would see people stare at me and I would be like what is wrong? I would check my dressing and I would realise it was my afro. So it was very strange. I had people walk up to me and ask why are you carrying your hair like this? Are you depressed? This is Nigeria. This is not South Africa or Kenya, where they do not know what’s up. IB go and do your hair and all that. I kept telling people my hair was already made. It was unusual then but right now more and more people are going natural. The salon is getting busier than it used to be last year.
Any advice for women that are yet to join the train?
I will advise them to join the natural train. With that, your hair is healthier. It is a very rewarding journey where you get in touch with your root also. We are African women, we are blacks, we are queens. This is how we are meant to be and that is our natural crown. It’s not boring. Once well taken care of, once you understand your regime, what your hair wants and what it doen’st want and know how to handle it, the journey is really, really rewarding. And remember in our old age, I don’t think we will be fixing weavon or braiding our hair. So it is this natural hair that will serve us when we are old. So, my advice is that they should just get curious about what it is all about and take the big step.
Women
Women Can Go Without Artificial Beauty
Looking good is some women’s business. Looking beautiful for some persons is more important than food. Some prefer to appear trendy instead of attending to household pressure.
Beauty they say is in the eye of the beholder. Every woman by creature is beautiful but some persons feel that the way they were created is not enough. They feel that perhaps the creator should have added more features to their physic.
Artificial beauty did not start today, it has been there as far as man exists. From time to time, there has been one form of additional make-up or the other that women especially, must add to their natural look.
When you look at some of our elders, especially women, you notice certain drills or symbols (tattoo) on their skins, mostly on their hands and legs, in form of designs with dark prints. That is a form of artificial beauty. These days, some young ones still use such to beautify themselves.
It is not only women that are involved in artificial beauty, some young men also have likeness for it. It is common nowadays to see younger male folks spend money to pierce their ears to wear earrings. They also style their hairs in various forms to appear like women so as to look more handsome. This no doubt costs them more money than being in their natural look.
Every generation grows with it’s own new systems, items, styles of artificial beauty. Before now, African women generally and Nigeria in particular had their hair in natural form.
As civilisation and westernisation continued, Nigerian women started copying, for instance, perming of their hair to look like the White women. They started using western-produced chemicals (relaxers) to make their hairs look sleepy and smoother.
Nigerian women used to plate their hair with black thread or go with their hair well cut at low level. In terms of weaving, it was without attachment. The issue of women weaving hair with attachment came with civilisation. That is also a form of make-up.
The quest for extra beauty aside the way women were created has been from one generation to another.
Two or three decades ago, ladies used mascaras to darken and thicken their eyelashes. But in this 21st century, another system has evolved. Fixing of artificial eyelashes has become the order of the day.
In that case, it becomes difficult for them to scratch their eyes Incase of any itches. Some of their eyes turn reddish because of the touch.
There was a lady who was fixing her eyelashes in a salon, unfortunately, she got a phone call that her mother was late, as she started crying, it was difficult for her to clean the tears that were flowing down her cheeks.
The reason was for fear of the eye lashes falling off while cleaning the tears off her eyes.
One funny thing about fixing of artificial eyelashes is that some persons cannot close their eyes properly. The beauty they have in mind before fixing is not really achieved as their look become something anybody cannot behold. Both the shape of their eyes and facial outlook automatically change. One begins to wonder if that is the beauty they are looking for. Instead of looking beautiful, the reverse becomes the case.
As years go by, artificial beauty becomes more sophisticated in the society. The price and cost for looking more beautiful than women were created naturally becomes higher than their natural look.
The cosmetic industry becomes one of the most viable industries worldwide because some women desire artificial beauty. Some engage in cosmetic surgery to alter any part of their body which does not give them pleasure especially the fatty parts. Some go for surgery to make their slacked breasts to return to their original shapes as well as those with big tummies.
It is interesting to note that currently, Nigerian ladies have started to give preference to their natural hair and this is attracting a lot of admiration for them. Many prefer that natural look with low cuts. With that, the cost of maintaining the hair by ladies is reduced.
I think this is commendable as it will save the women from the negative effect of chemical used in manufacturing hair relaxers.
It is also common to see ladies on low cut hairs that are either light complexion, red and other funny colours.
People have been addicted to artificial beauty to the extent that they insert certain substances into their bodies to make them become more robust and attractive to their admirers.
I don’t understand why we should be crazy about adding more to our natural look. Every woman wants to look attractive in a packaged manner without recognising the implications of artificial beauty and make-up.
In fact, women’s quest for beauty has taken different dimension as they tend to appear trendy at home, in offices and as they go about their businesses. That is just to feel belonged and achieve self-esteem.
I recall a few years back, my pastor who trained as an Engineer advised women against the use of lipstick. He said that one of the chemical components of lipstick is lead and that it is dangerous to humans. Many women may not understand the reality of what he said until it manifests.
I think those who are naturally beautiful should not go for artificial make-ups. They should be satisfied with the work of their creator. Women should not continue to paint their faces to look like masquerades and should not lose value due to artificial beauty.
It may interest you to know that persons who apply make-ups excessively are mocked instead of being admired. Make-ups can be applied lightly.
Fixing of nails is another business. After fixing nails, some women find it difficult to perform house cores. Washing their personal belongings becomes a problem. The artificial nails become so long and sophisticated to the extent that the bearer cannot handle objects properly. Those in that habit also find it difficult to eat food with the fingers.
There are people who feel they should have been born in certain colour but when the reverse is the case, they seek artificial make-up. Use of skin-toning cream and soap becomes the option for artificial beauty. This happens to the extent that the users start having dark spots on the skin. Blisters occur on their faces and legs.
Unfortunately, this is an era when there are different kinds of cancer affecting women especially. It becomes difficult to identify the kind of make-up that can be cancerous.
It is high time people had stopped following trend to the detriment of their health.
Ladies should not present themselves as laughing stock with unnecessary make-up as they can still be cherished in their natural outlook.
Eunice Choko – Kayode
Women
IDGC: Girls’ Vision For The Future
Yearly, the girls are celebrated not just because they are girls, but because of their importance to families, society and the nation at large.
You will agree that when the girl-child comes into a family first, that family is blessed. The assistance she renders to the family can not be compared to that of the opposite sex.
The job she does in the home cuts across many duties. In the home, she takes care of her younger ones. She assists her mother in carrying out house chores. After her educational career and she obtains a job, she caters for her family even as she is married out. She takes care of her aged parents in her matrimonial home.
This same girl-child when given the right training and opportunities, will also train her offspring. Thus, “train a woman and you train a nation”. When women are at the helms of affairs, things are done better.
Celebrating the girl-child yearly is a call to parents, families, faith-based organisations, non-governmental organisations, governments at all levels, and all relevant organisations that have one or two things to do with the girls to continue to put in place policies that will enhance their well-being.
On a daily basis, the girl-child faces more challenges. Sometimes, she finds it difficult to resist dangers. The issue of rape, violence of any form, sexual harassment, intimidation, discrimination in families about who should go to school or not.
The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Rivers State chapter, called on the government, the state and local assembly to enact laws that criminalise any act capable of impeding the education of the girl-child.
The association made the call as it joined the world to commemorate the International Day of the Girl-Child, in Port Harcourt, Friday.
NAWOJ also appealed to ministry of education and other relevant authorities to prevail against hawking during school hours, as well as call for an end to early girl-child marriage.
The state chairperson of the association, Susan Serekara-Nwikhana, who spoke in an interview with the press said: “We are calling on the Rivers State government, the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Local Assembly to enact laws that criminalise any act capable of impeding on the education of the girl child.
“We also want the government to throw her weight against any girl-child found hawking on the streets during school hours as this will serve as deterrent to any parent or ward that is nursing such idea.
“There is need for every girl-child to be properly educated as this impact generally on the society positively.”
Speaking on the 2024 theme which is, “Girls’ Vision For The Future”, NAWOJ chair stressed the need for parents to prioritise the education of their daughters.
She explained that quality education was key to an assured future for every girl-child, stressing that education unlocks doors of possibilities and the I-can spirit.
Her words: “Remember, you put an end to blind submission when you train the girl-child. Today, many girl-children have been abandoned and are left to pass through harrowing conditions that they never dreamt of due to lack of education.
“Do you know that the girl child suffer most as she is confronted with lots of challenges from the day she was born into a home; siblings rivalry on who should go to school and who should not, a decision that most parents take that negatively impedes on the girl-child and to the day she steps into her husband’s house, especially with a wicked mother-in-law or father-in-law.”
She noted that only those female children privileged to acquire quality education can surmount the challenges that confront them on their way to greatness.
“As we all know that the role of every woman in the society cannot be over-emphasised as such without education given to the gild-child, the society will raise dysfunctional women, who are abused, used and abandoned”, she emphasised.
The NAWOJ chair insisted: “When the girl-child is exposed to education, you have given her opportunity to endless possibilities, thereby putting an end to subjugation and blind subservient”.
As Rivers State joins the rest of the world to mark the 2024 International Day of the Girl-Child, a non-profit organisation, Multi Stakeholders Committee for the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence in Rivers State has called for policies to protect the girl- child against gender-based violence.
It also urged for massive investment in the development of the girl-child.
The group said this in a statement to mark the day.
According to the statement signed by the coordinator of the group, who is also the Head of the Public Defender, Rivers State, Evelyn Membere Asimiea, time has come for the society to stand together and ensure that no girl is left behind.
She also said the celebration which has as its theme, “Girls, Vision For The Future”, is a call to action not just to acknowledge the challenges girls face but to actively empower them.
According to the statement, as we join the global community to celebrate the International Day of the Girl-Child, we are reminded of the powerful potential of every girl and the urgent need to invest in their rights. This year’s theme, “Girls: Vision For The Future,” calls us to action not just to acknowledge the challenges girls face but to actively empower them as leaders of tomorrow.
Mrs Asimiea said time has come for stakeholders including government, civil society organisations, families and individuals to stand together and ensure that no girl is left behind.
“As Coordinator of the Multi-Stakeholders Committee for the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence and Head of the Office of the Public Defender, Rivers State, I wish to highlight that our girls are at the heart of building strong, safe, and prosperous communities. Yet, they are often the most vulnerable to violence, discrimination, and neglect. It is time for all of us—government, civil society, families, and individuals—to stand together and ensure that no girl is left behind”, the statement said.
She also called for massive investment in the girl- child, adding: “Investing in girls means ensuring they have access to quality education, healthcare, and equal opportunities.
“It means protecting them from all forms of gender-based violence (GBV), child marriage, and harmful traditional practices.
“When we invest in the safety, education, and empowerment of girls, we are investing in the future of our state and nation.”
It reiterated its commitment to continue to advocate for the right of the girl child, stressing that the group is working tirelessly to advocate for the rights of girls and the women.
“We are working tirelessly to advocate for the rights of girls and women, providing legal support to survivors of GBV, and pushing for stronger policies to prevent violence and protect their futures.
“But we cannot do it alone. We need every family, every community leader, and every citizen to take responsibility for the well-being of our girls.
“On this day, I urge you all to commit to creating a world where every girl feels safe, valued, and empowered to lead. Together, we can build a Rivers State where girls’ rights are protected, and their leadership flourishes, for the future of all of us”, the coordinator said.
As we mark this year’s girl-child day, women groups all over the world should as a matter of fact, continue to create awareness on the need to develop them in the right way so that they can showcase their potentials.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
Women
Girl-Child Development And Early Marriage
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