Wigged Up and Socially Acceptable

Examinations are regular in a University's academic calender, just as scheduled lectures. While invigilating examinations, one has the opportunity to move round a venue and keep an investigative eye on rows of candidates. 

During one of such exercises, I looked over the heads of all the candidates who sat an exam and observed differences in hair styling and presentation. Male candidates wore low haircuts which looked somewhat uniform, however on females, there were a variety of hairstyle presentations with and without hair extensions.

While I walked along a aisle during a particular invigilation assignment, I noticed a female candidate who had taken out a wig she had on and placed it on her writing table, thereby revealing unkempt cornrows. With a prompt low-tone reprimand, I made her realise that it was unacceptable to have such an exhibit, other than her writing materials on the examination desk. She could either keep the heated wig on or find a place for it in her bag located in front of the hall. 

Before long, during the same period I had to repeat the instruction to another female candidate who had also taken down her wig. My wonder was: why did they put on a wig, if they could envisage they could get heated up, sweaty and unable to carry it through the occasion?

During the past week, while I sat on a panel conducting oral examination on Bachelor dissertations, I observed that 80 percent of the female candidates were dressed in western-style straight hair wigs. Otherwise,  during usual university lectures periods you may or may not notice the same students wearing a wig. So, they may have considered that wearing a wig adds some formality and comportment to their appearance.

Moving away from time-poor university students, during an unusually sunny hot weather, I once noticed a fine looking woman with a huge mass of hair wig adorned as she walked gaily in the sun toward a destination. I looked at the lady with so much pity, considering the heat of the day I was experiencing while sitting in a car that drove along the same road.

I have also used a minimal share of weave-ons and wigs in the recent past. Sometimes, I would be ever so eager to acquire a new wig only to revert to my usual appearance after just a few uses. Most times, when I looked into a mirror with a wig on, I felt I looked much older than I actually was. It also felt like a nonsensical burden to always need to cover up my own natural hair any time I had to step out of home. For me, endeavouring to appear the same all the time is one stuff in the fabric of authentic living.

Quizzically, I have wondered and tried to imagine what Dambisa Moyo, the scintillating Zambian-born global economist and author, would look like without her signature wig. Why will most of the westerners whom we seek to look like, by wearing their signature look wigs, not opt or scramble for an African curl look or wig?

As I think on the rise in the consumption of human hair wigs as well as extensions in a climate like Nigeria, I find there are more underlying economic and psycho-social determinants than what meets the naked eye. I hope to share findings of my ongoing research in a future post.

Photo credit: Britannica