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The Evolution of Nigerian Wigs (In Nollywood)

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Picture showing the evolution of wigs in Nollywood

If attention is currency then Nollywood might be the next billionaire as she is starting to enjoy a huge amount of the currency from her Nigerian audience and I can’t help but think that they’ve earned it. 

You’ll agree with me that Nollywood has come a long way when you see a throwback catalogue of Nollywood movies. 

You’ll have a good laugh for sure but you’ll also notice the consistent growth they’ve strived to achieve over the years and the sky is only the start. 

When it comes to Nollywood throwbacks, one fashion item that gets the least attention is the wigs and that’s a bit unfair because have you seen those things that were referred to as wigs?  They had and still have no business being called fashion items. They belong in the bush with wild animals or better still, in the trash. I’ll just share a few and let you be the judge 

Angry Bird Wigs

Picture showing a Nollywood actress wearing an angry bird wig

As a slay queen character or boss lady, you just had to don one of these wigs that looked like  ruffled chicken feathers or a peacock’s tail with different layers. Only difference was that the wigs weren’t as colorful.

They were quite popular around 2007. What the wigs lacked in color, they more than made up for it with their shine. If you catch the sun’s reflection off one of these angry bird wigs, you could go blind for days.

Porcupine Wigs

Picture showing a Nollywood actress wearing a porcupine wig

They were the next best thing after the angry bird wigs. Quite similar to the angry birds, they had a fuller projection and had the look of a porcupine’s pine from a distance. 

As a big girl in Nollywood, if you didn’t own one of these, you might as well deduct 5,000 points from your steeze. It was the best finish for a trendy look. 

I don’t know what informed that opinion but it definitely sold because just by seeing this wig, you could easily tell who the lead actress was in a movie.

Shaba

Picture showing a Nollywood actress wearing a shaba wig

This wig came into Nollywood and carved a niche for itself as the mummy’s wig. It’s hard to describe it but I’m sure you remember it by just seeing the picture. 

Not only did it carve a niche for itself amongst mummies, it also had a reputation for being the trendy female civil servants’ wig. 

This wig was popular in yoruba movies and had a way of showing that the ‘wearer’ was comfortable but not flashy. If you’re a millennial and your mum/female relatives were trendy civil servants, I’m sure you can relate.

Telephone Wire

Picture showing a Nollywood actress wearing a telephone wire wig

We saw various generations of these wigs in Nollywood, starting with the one that looked exactly like the cord of a landline (telephone) to the ones that were a bit stretched and had the semblance of a hen that got drenched in rain water. 

Almost every little girl whose mum was a fashionista had one of these wigs and it’s no thanks to Nollywood. 

Afro Wigs

Picture showing a Nollywood actress wearing a afro wig

This one came in various shapes, sizes, and texture. It was a favourite for both the males and females. Whether they were trying to accomplish a retro or trendy look, the wig was like a lifesaver as it always delivered.

Interesting thing about the Afro wigs is that they never go out of fashion and are still relevant in the Nigerian wig industry even till date. 

Long Wigs 

Picture showing a Nollywood actress wearing a long wig

As the Nigerian movie industry evolved, the ladies did not leave their wigs behind as they shifted gears from short wigs to the long ones. 

At this time, all the craze was for long wigs, not minding if it was curly, wavy, straight, or coloured. The longer, the better. 

The ladies were just enjoying the feel of being able to flip their long hairs by simply tossing it with a finger or two. It gave this abroad vibes and we weren’t settling for less. 

That move was the icing on the cake when you want to deal with a player that’s asking you out in a Nollywood movie….

Did you own or know someone who owned any of these wigs? Share a picture and let’s have a good laugh about it on Fusion community. 

From these, the wigs in Nollywood started gravitating towards the various generations of luxury hairs from synthetic to Chocolate to Remi, to human hairs and raw hairs from donors. 

It’s almost like a competition that’s not ending anytime soon as the wig industry in Nigeria is projected to be about 1.31 billion USD. You can confirm it here. 

Today, the wig game in Nollywood isn’t playing. They look nothing like where they’ve been and just like the wigs, the entire industry isn’t only looking better but getting better.

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Kanyinsola Nwaizu
Kanyinsola Nwaizu

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