Braids, earrings, tinted hair: Why more men are embracing women’s styles

• It’s erosion of our national identity, don says

By Vivian Onyebukwa

In today’s world, many men wear earrings. They braid and tint their hair. These were styles traditionally reserved for women.

The General Overseer of Jesus Campaigners Ministry, Lagos, Bishop Nath Ofor, traced back to some years ago when any young man with braided hair, earrings and blonde-tinted hair, might have attracted curious stares, or even criticism in many Nigerian communities. But today; such appearances are becoming increasingly common, particularly among young men who see fashion and grooming as an extension of their identity.

Many are wondering what is driving these changes and whether society’s perception of masculinity is evolving. While some applaud the trend as a reflection of confidence and self-expression, others argue that it departs from traditional expectations of masculinity.

Others say these trends reflect growing confidence and individuality, representing a departure from long-standing cultural expectations. For many young men, these choices are simply about personal style.

Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold, who has openly spoken about his decision to braid his hair, reportedly explained that growing his hair was not part of a branding strategy, but a personal choice. According to him, he wanted to “try a new side” of himself and found that the hairstyle suited him. His explanation reflects the views of many young men who believe their appearance is a matter of individual preference rather than an attempt to challenge societal norms.

Social media personality Emeka of Lagos has gained recognition for his distinctive braided hairstyles, multiple piercings and creative recreations of iconic Nigerian hairstyles from the 1980s, 1990s and contemporary times. Through his content, he introduces younger generations to traditional hairstyles that once defined different communities. His work has contributed to renewed conversations about African hairstyles, proving that braids can represent both heritage and modern fashion.

While noting that musicians, actors, footballers and other young professionals braid, tint, and pierce ears and were earrings, an upcoming content creator, John Chikwendu said those who wear earrings commonly view it as a form of self-expression. “Wearing earring is not different from choosing a wristwatch, necklace or other accessory that complements your style. For many of the young men who wear braids or piercings, the answer is simple: personal style”, he said.

“I’ve always loved braids because they make me feel confident in myself,” said Joseph, a 28-year-old entrepreneur. “There’s no deeper meaning behind it, for me it’s just fashion.”

Another respondent, Emmanuel Ejiofor said his decision to get an ear piercing was inspired by musicians and footballers he admired while growing up. “People see it as a taboo, but I don’t. Fashion keeps changing, and every generation has it’s own style,” he explained.

Hair tinting is another trend that continues to gain popularity. Shades such as blonde, ash, copper and burgundy have become common among young men seeking a fresh appearance or a unique personal identity. Hairstylists say more male clients now request coloured hairstyles than they did a few years ago, a development they attribute to changing fashion tastes and the influence of entertainment and social media. An example of them is a Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola Badmus, popularly known as Portable who wears tinted hair painted with different bright colours. 

Hairstylist and beauty entrepreneur, Kelly, of Style By Kelly Beauty, Lagos said more male clients now request coloured hairstyles than they did a few years ago. According to her, the trend reflects a growing interest in self-care, confidence and fashion among young men.

Some parents and religious leaders argue that such trends conflict with long-held cultural and moral values. They believe men should maintain more traditional appearances and worry that modern fashion is gradually eroding societal norms.

Mrs Grace Okon, a mother of four pointed to the influence of social media where male celebrities, influencers and content creators regularly showcase different hairstyles, accessories and grooming routines. According to her, exposure to global trends has encouraged many young men to pay more attention to their appearance.

Mrs Fidelia Asikiri, a mother of six, believes that some of these trends conflict with the values she grew up with. “In our time, men kept their hair low and dressed differently. Sometimes it’s difficult for older people to understand these new styles,” she said.

“Whether viewed as a fashion statement, a form of self-expression or a reflection of changing cultural attitudes, the growing popularity of braids, earrings and tinted hair among men continues to generate conversation. As society evolves, so too do ideas about identity, beauty and masculinity, leaving many to wonder what the next generation of fashion will look like,” said Pascal Odi, a young graduate who plan to go fully into entertainment industry.

“Appearance should not be used to judge a person’s character,” Odi stated.

Africans should stop copying what Westerners do – Prof

An expert, Prof Franca Attoh of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos attributed the issue of cross dressing to globalisation which has made the world a global village. According to her, globalisation has taken the world back to 20, 30 years ago. “It would be very difficult for somebody to know what is happening in New York. But today, you can watch it in real time. So, the issue is that most people are trying to copy black Americans, not realising the fact that those who are responsible, the elite, the black American elite, can never braid their hair. It’s not possible. Those who went to school cannot do that. These are mainly things people from the ghetto do. Celebrities, who want to have an identity, do it, but because of globalisation, our people now saw it as a fashion trend, especially sports celebrities. They are now copying them because even among Europeans, Brazilians, you would see that many of them are beginning to braid their hair like Africans.”

She made reference to the ongoing World Cup tournament where a number of players braided their hair and many are wearing earrings. She described those men who wear earrings as irresponsible.

“My son cannot wear an earring. It’s not possible, but my son can decide that he wants to keep dreads. That is, he doesn’t want to be combing his hair. That also has a reason especially during winter, so that it provides them warmth. So, people in Nigeria might not know the reason why people are keeping hair. The truth is that when you go to Europe or America, you’ll find that the upper class and middle people don’t do some of these things”.

She said as a result of  African mentality, people copy a lot of whatever they see on television. “You will see many young women, they want to be like Kim Kardasian. Then they will go for BBL. As a result, a number of young women lost their lives. Many young Nigerian ladies lost their lives because of BBL.

“One, they cannot afford the kind of BBL that Kim did, because Kim did BBL. It wasn’t natural. She’s rich. So, she can afford the best doctors in the US. But these girls have not had two square meals a day and they want to have BBL. Of course, they would go to a white doctor and in the process; they would lose their lives. So, it’s always good for us, especially for those of you who are in the press, in the media, to take it upon yourself to educate, create awareness. Let people realise that some of these things are not cultural. We are Africans. Men don’t braid hair in Africa. Men don’t wear earrings in Africa. Men dress like men. And if you see women who wear pants, they are sewn differently because it doesn’t have a flap. You will know that automatically this kind of pants is for a woman.”

She challenged the Nigerian Medical Association to visit the Ikeja Under Bridge in Lagos where people are getting tattoos done. “I don’t know why the Nigerian Medical Association has not gone there. What kind of instruments are they using to do tattoos? Do they know the science behind tattooing? It is a medical procedure. Where did you learn? Which university did you go to? Through that process, people will get HIV AIDS and they won’t know.”

Prof Attoh traced the trend of cross dressing in Nigeria from Lagos and Abuja since the  year 2000. 

“How can a girl wear pants and then you’re seeing the whole of the midriff, and they believe its fashion? You’re looking at Kim. Kim is a celebrity. She’s in entertainment. She’s doing this for a purpose. It’s like somebody trying to copy Charles Oputa, (Charly Boy). If you copy him, he’s using his own to put food on his table.”

She stated that this has any socio-cultural implications. “It will lead to erosion of your culture and values. If men now start dressing like women, very soon they would start tying wrapper and gele. They would tie up and down. Some, in some cultures, men wear wrappers like the Urhobos, Delta State. Just like in Europe, you’ll find some people wearing skirts. But the kind of skirts they wear is different from the skirts women wear.  People must know the sociology behind everything. So many young girls would tattoo their boyfriend’s name on their laps, hands. But supposing that you end up not marrying each other, what happens? You can’t even remove the tattoo because the tattoo is a medical procedure.  So let’s educate our young ones. Let them understand some of these things. It’s not a fashion fad. You are a man. God that created you has a reason for creating you a man. If he wanted to create you a woman, he would have created you at the initial, stage to become a woman.”

She charged the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to do a better job by giving Nigerians orientation about national identity and cultural values.