African Hair for Africans by J'odie (Soul musician)

Good day everyone, I am so excited to share this particular post with you guys and I am sure you will find out real soon. So, I have a special guest for you, the one and only J’odie. Yes, the same Nigerian musician whose single, kuchi, is still rocking the air waves. We were in the same fellowship in school then, when she used to sing and I used to dance. I used to look at her hair in admiration because they were so long and relaxed then, longer than mine which was also long but not long enough to compete with hers. Next time I saw her after school, her hair was different, she was all natural and it was so lovely. I was on dreadlocks then, I wanted to cut off my dreads but did not want to relax my hair. When I saw her hair, I said to myself, ‘this is it’, this is what I am looking for and so my natural hair journey started. In order words, she was the main person that inspired me to go fully natural. So read what she has to say...

When I was younger, still in college and trying to understand who I really was in this world, I thought to myself - in the midst of my ignorance "why do I have to perm my hair to look beautiful? Why do I have to fix a weave-on to be accepted? Is something wrong with my natural hair? Is something wrong with African hair in its real state?" I pondered for a while. But the only way I could really answer the questions was to have firsthand experience. Back in college, I decided to go kinky!!!

I think going kinky was the first conscious proactive decision I ever made in my life. It was not actually about looks, but identity. It was a search...I guess the only way my heart could communicate and reach out to me at that point in time was through the search for my "Africanness" through my hair.

So, I told everyone that mattered to me at the time: boyfriend, siblings, mummy - these people I can remember. They all thought it was a bad idea. I am surprised I didn't give up at that point, because I used to be easily discouraged from an idea in the face of the slightest opposition. So, you really have to believe it was a miracle that I did not change my mind at that point in time.

I don't know how long I built my inner confidence to actually take off my long permed hair (it used to rest on my back) and for a Nigerian, that is LONG!!! Snip snip and the hair was gone! I then had to find ways to feel comfortable with my new short hair that didn't feel or look so great at the time. It was a JOURNEY of perseverance and building of self confidence. It was more than just a fashion decision. Going kinky has taught me how to be more confident in whatever I possess: my dark skin, my petite structure, my short finger nails, my face without make-up (I used to feel ugly without it), my body in whole.

The focus now is not on changing my features, but on making my features be at their best. I now won't try to use a lightening cream, instead, one that will even my tone and give my skin its African shine. This is a personal discovery. Remember our paths are not the same, so you don't have to develop negative emotions if you prefer permed hair. Our life styles are different, remember?

I'll tell you about my journey and channel it to "life" as a whole in another post. It was refreshing sharing this with you

Joy Odiete, also known as J'odie, is a soulful musician, songwriter and jewelry artist, who has a passion towards sharing experiences through music, writing or speech, in order to encourage And inspire young people to truly live.

Email: joyodiete@yahoo.com

Enjoy her video below and don’t forget to admire the lovely hair