While many black women here in the States are going back to their (hair) roots and embracing their natural hair, their counterparts in the Motherland want the straight, silky look.
In the 1990s, Nigerian women wanted to look more like African-American women who were sporting long, straight hair — albeit from weaves and extensions.
Even the culture demands Nigerian women to straighten their hair or wear extensions. An 18 year-old woman exclaimed, “no rich man will marry a girl with village [unstraightened] hair.” Others report employers warning them to “do something” about their hair. (see full story in The Guardian)
Although human hair weaves and extensions can be quite expensive for Nigerian women, it doesn’t discourage them from wanting the Beyonce’ look. Costs vary from $300–$800 U.S. and more – a third of the average salary in Nigeria.
I guess the saying “the grass is greener” holds true in this case. African women want to look like more like African-American women, and African-American women want to look more African.