NIGERIAN JOBS : HAIR BRAIDING IN IKWO, EBONYI STATE

It’s a beautiful Saturday morning and I’m on my way to the Ochi Udo Bus Park. I’m meeting a friend there who I would accompany to Ikwo to braid her hair. Ikwo, a community in Ebonyi State.

WHY GO SO FAR?

Expertise. Believe me, the young girls from this community are known for their hair braiding skills especially the super tiny “one million/micro braids”. I have been here before, trice I think when I made this hair style. Those times where during the yuletide and I must tell you, the place was always packed. Ladies sitting on stools under shades making the same hair style. I often wondered how this craft came to be in this community and all the silly myths I have heard about the braiders being ghosts etc. Today, I intend to find out all about it.

We got to the community taxi park at about 9:10 (35 mins drive from Abakaliki). Most of the saloons are situated around the park. As soon as we got out of the taxi, some girls kept calling out to us “aunty bia kpaa isi” coaxing us to come make our hair in their different salons. Sadly I had someone in mind, the lady that made my hair those times. Her work was satisfactory, why go elsewhere. I still remember where she had set up her shade so we walked towards it. As we approached, she came out of a building. I recognized her immediately and she welcomed us. Her shade used to be set on the foundation of a building but now the house is almost complete. She occupies a room and has some basic saloon equipment, business seems to be quite good. We bargained and work commenced. I told her that I had a few questions for her about her business, she quickly asked in her dialect if I was going to pay her,i just laughed.

HISTORY

                                                      

Lady Chinasa told me that the business started in the community in the mid-nineties when two women Mrs. Philomena and Mrs. Mary Awo who had been living in Cotonou with their families came home and started making this new braid style that they had learnt in Cotonou. Before long the interest to learn heightened and most young girls in the community signed up to be apprentices.

She was one of the first apprentices and had trained for two years after which she stared her own just as her colleagues and has since then, trained over twenty girls who have in turn started their own business and trained other girls and the business has kept expanding rapidly through the community.

She told me that although she love would to move her business to the state capital so she could be closer to her customers, being in the village hasn’t been bad. Her customers still come looking for her. People have been directed to her from all around the country. In the past, people tried enticing her to come work for them in the cities but she turned them down because she enjoys being her own boss.

When I asked her about the ghost myth, she laughed. She said she has heard about it too and it’s an obvious lie. She said the girls are taught to be fast and when there are three or more fast hands plaiting a customer’s hair, the work would definitely be swift. She also told me that she wouldn’t mind having a hair braiding machine if there ever is a thing like that as the job could be very stressful.

 

It’s really interesting to see how fast this craft/business is growing, it’s almost becoming a tradition. It has created jobs and side gigs for young girls to sustain themselves. It has brought visitors into the community, ladies who after braiding their hair may also buy some farm produce in the nearby market before leaving. I observed that some small provision kiosks have been set up around. Small businesses are emerging. This is what tourism is about. It should be encouraged by the Government.

Favor’s hair was completed around 5:45pm.The entire process took about 8 hours amidst the little stretch breaks but the long hours was worth it. The hair was beautiful and we were both satisfied. We quickly packed up, paid and took off.  

GET THE LOOK

The name "one million braids" does sound scary no doubt but really isn't if you braid in Ikwo. The girls are fast, the hair is light (less attachment is needed) and if well maintained, lasts quite long.

To get to Ikwo from Portharcourt axis, take a bus going to Abakaliki through Okigwe and ask to be stopped at Onueke junction, then take a taxi into Ikwo park.

From Enugu, you could still go through Okigwe or get into Abakaliki first.