By Pauline Odhiambo
Bad hair days aren't a contemporary affliction – history shows that tonsorial disaffection drove ancient Egyptians to despair as much as they do the 21st-century denizen about town.
Over 5,000 years ago, wigs and extensions were all the rage among the elite in Egypt, the birthplace of hair aids. Think pharaohs, queens and the upper crust.
Fast forward to the height of the transatlantic slave trade, and the narrative shifted. Enslaved women were coerced into donning wigs to conform to the western aesthetic, a trend that gradually infiltrated black communities worldwide.
Now, women of African descent constitute the largest category of wig and hair-extension users worldwide.
GlobeNewswire, a press release distribution service, reports that over 50% of African women wear hair weaves, with many others using wigs to protect their natural hair from damage, especially if their texture is prone to dryness and breakage.
Nigeria and South Africa comprise the largest consumer base for hair extensions and wigs in Africa. According to data by the Business Market Insights platform, the continent's market value for these products was US $272 million in 2022, which is projected to grow to $412.53 million by 2030.
New paradigm
The initiative by Faraja Nyalandu involves using technology platforms to provide curricula and other reading materials for primary and secondary school students.
Wigs and extensions have long been a staple of the beauty business, providing a quick fix for styling all types of hair and making them conform to a particular stereotype.
This is especially true of pageants, where contestants across ethnicities are known to choose long, straight wigs, reinforcing the western preference for straight hair over natural curls and coils.
A recent ban on using wigs at the Miss Côte d'Ivoire pageant has since turned these notions on their head.
On January 28, the organisers decided to shake things up with a directive mandating that contestants embrace their natural hair, whether long, short, braided, cropped or shaved.
While emphasising the importance of celebrating natural African beauty and authenticity, the Miss Côte d'Ivoire organising committee president, Victor Yapobi, referenced past winners of the Miss Universe pageant with short, natural hair.
"All candidates who wish to enter the Miss Côte d'Ivoire competition must come with natural hair," Yapobi said in Abidjan ahead of the 29th edition of the pageant.
"This change stems from the fact that we are often challenged over the use of wigs and hair extensions, whose style and make are not part of Ivorian culture."
The new requirement was primarily influenced by Marlene Kouassi, crowned Miss Cote d’Ivoire in 2022. She had participated in the pageant that year wearing short hair.
Self-acceptance
The move seeks to empower women to feel confident without relying on artificial enhancements.
Yapobi stated that the new pageant rule was meant to promote self-acceptance and confidence among contestants, while encouraging more women to embrace their natural hair.
Being body shamed in her childhood and even throughout her modelling career propelled Yinka into starting a movement against it.
Although some pageant enthusiasts say the move is a step in the right direction, sociologist Gnelbin Nicaise Hlil believes the evolution of canons of beauty is often slow.
"It is true that this movement to promote natural hair has been brewing for a long time. At the same time, when we observe society, we see that certain trends haven't diminished. The phenomenon of skin bleaching is not really in decline, just as wearing wigs hasn't decreased," says Hlil.
Mixed reactions
The decision to bar wigs and hair extensions at the Miss Côte d'Ivoire pageant has been labelled "historic" by many, although some argue that it is tantamount to impinging on personal liberty.
"Côte d'Ivoire has set the standard and I believe other nations will follow its lead soon," Kenyan Linda Karanja, who keenly follows the Miss Universe contest, tells TRT Afrika.
Marguerite Koutouan, a hairstylist in Abidjan, points out that not using wigs also eliminates the risk of harming one's scalp.
"Some wigs and weaves cause alopecia and other irreversible scalp damage because of improper installation and harsh glue. Now, our beauty queens can wear their hair in natural styles and avoid hair loss," she explains.
Nigerian businessman Karim Aboubakar would rather have pageant contestants decide how their hair should look.
"Someone's hairstyle should be a choice, not an obligation. White, Asian and Latina contestants wear wigs and hair extensions, so taking that freedom of choice away is another way of oppressing black women," he tells TRT Afrika.
Other changes to the pageant rules in Côte d'Ivoire include the minimum height requirement, which has been reduced from 1.68m to 1.67m. The upper age limit has also been revised from 25 to 28 years.
Miss Côte d'Ivoire 2025 pre-selections will take place until May 10, with the crowning ceremony scheduled for June 26.
