By Christy Anyanwu
A natural hair advocate, Adanna Madueke has spoken on why black women should preserve and be proud of their natural hair.
Having left the shores of Nigeria for Canada 17 years ago, she still proudly wears her identity as a black woman.
In this interview with Saturday Sun, she discusses how the ‘Our African Hairitage’ was
born from a desire to redefine beauty standards and empower individuals to wear their natural hair confidently.
Adanna Madueke is from Anambra State, Nigeria. She studied Biological Sciences major and Chemistry minor at the University of Alberta, Canada.
Why has it become imperative for African women to embrace their natural beauty and accept their hair texture? And why are you preaching that message now?
It has become imperative for African women to embrace their natural beauty and accept their hair texture because our hair is more than just strands—it’s a living archive of our history, our identity, and our resilience. For so long, colonisation and slavery stripped us of our cultural pride, forcing us to conform to beauty standards that erased who we are. Our hair was vilified, called “unmanageable,” “unprofessional,” or “less than,” and many of us internalized these messages, losing touch with the beauty of what grows naturally from our roots.
But now, there’s a shift. We’re realising that reclaiming our hair is about more than aesthetics—it’s about reclaiming ourselves. It’s about teaching the next generation that their hair isn’t a problem to be fixed but a crown to be celebrated.
I see it in the young girls I meet through the Crown Revival project, where we provide tools and knowledge for them to care for their natural hair. When they realise their hair is beautiful and worthy, you can see the pride light up their faces. This is why it’s so important now.
The world is watching African women redefine beauty on our own terms. From the Our African Hairitage documentary to the rise of natural hair movements globally, we’re taking back the narrative. We’re saying no to invisibility and yes to authenticity. The urgency comes from knowing that every time a woman embraces her natural hair, she’s telling the world, “I am enough exactly as I am.”
This moment is a revolution, and we are the leaders, showing that natural beauty is powerful, unapologetic, and here to stay.
What made you decide on having the documentary, Our African Hairitage? What are the goals that it’s meant to achieve?
Our African Hairitage is my way of giving back to the Black community. I’ve seen the decline in how we appreciate our natural hair and the disdain for traditional hairstyles. This documentary is about reminding people of the rich history behind these styles and their meanings. When you understand where something comes from, you’re more likely to cherish it.
Ultimately, the goal is to educate, celebrate, and spark a movement of pride in our heritage.
The quest to discover African heritage has taken you to different African countries. Can you share some unique ways they treat their natural hair in those places?
Okay this is an interesting question. It’s been quite a journey! Starting in Nigeria, I discovered the magic of shea butter—it’s a staple for hair growth and moisture retention. But my experiences in Senegal and Kenya were disappointing. I was hoping to discover authentic hair care routines that I haven’t heard of, but the reverse was the case. Finding basic hair care products like conditioners was a struggle. In Senegal, salons pushed relaxers as substitutes, and in a Kenyan village, the hairdresser I met in the village only had water and a blow dryer.
This lack of accessible natural hair treatments is why so many women think natural hair is hard to manage. That inspired my Crown Revival Project, which aims to simplify hair care and make it accessible across Africa. It shouldn’t be this hard—this is Africa! We should know how to care for our crowns.
Are there natural hair care products Nigeria should work on to enhance healthy hair?
Let’s start with the basics: conditioners. Many salons lack them, especially those catering to everyday women. You should be able to walk into any roadside salon and have access to a conditioner. So how will you care for my hair when you don’t have a conditioner? These are the types of salons that force girls to relax their hair.
What are the basic air treatment information even a teenager should know?
Every teenage girl should know how to care for her natural hair!
During our maiden Crown Revival Project, we taught young girls simple but essential steps including: Always spray water on your hair before combing it. Use a conditioner to combat dryness, especially in harsh weather. Comb your hair starting from the tips, working your way up. Embrace protective styles to reduce breakage. Sleep with a satin bonnet to protect your hair.
These basics, if practised consistently, can make a world of difference.
What inspired your going natural? Can you share that story with us?
First of all, I’d like to say, we don’t “go natural”—we return natural. Natural is who we are.
My journey to returning natural wasn’t exactly planned; it was more of a forced experience that became transformative. When I moved to Canada for school, I arrived with my hair in braids. Those braids stayed in for four months because, honestly, I didn’t know what to do with my hair or how to care for it.
By the end of the semester, I finally decided to take the braids down. After four months of neglect, my hair was completely tangled and matted. Without the proper tools or knowledge, I combed through every single knot with brute force. The result? My hair was gone—completely damaged—and I had a massive headache to show for it.
To make matters worse, I washed my hair with shower gel because I didn’t know what products to use. That was the moment I realised I had to figure this out on my own. Going to a salon wasn’t an option—I had just $20 in my account, and someone had quoted me $200 to braid my hair! Coming from Nigeria, where hair care is far more affordable, this was a massive shock.
That experience pushed me to learn how to care for my hair myself. What began as a moment of frustration turned into a journey of discovery. I had to unlearn everything I thought I knew about hair care and start fresh.
Looking back, that moment was a turning point. It taught me resilience, resourcefulness, and, most importantly, the beauty of embracing my natural hair. What started as a forced transition has become one of the most empowering decisions of my life.
If you are asked to convince a woman who has been relaxing her hair to change and go natural, what are your top three convincing points?
Girl, your natural hair is your crown—it’s bold, it’s beautiful, and it’s unapologetically you. It’s not as hard to manage as you think. Water and a simple routine can work wonders.
You’re missing out on the volume, texture, and versatility of natural hair. Once you embrace it, you’ll never look back.