Name? AbiodunTemitope Idowu
Where are you from? Badagry Lagos State, Nigeria [residing in the UK]
What do you do? I'm a writer-poetry and short stories. I also volunteer as a teaching mentor at my local library and also volunteer as a Human Resources Consultant and Administrator at my church.
What is your passion? I love reading, writing, and having interesting food to try.
Where can we find you online? On the following:
At one time you had your hair relaxed. Tell us why you decided to go natural? It was a nightmare to keep in the English weather and also expensive. Besides for a very long time, I had wanted dreads but never dared while I lived in my mother's house back in Nigeria.
How did you go natural? Did you transition or did you do the big chop? Did anyone help you or encourage you? I went to my hairdresser then and asked him to cut my hair, that I wanted to start dreads but he was horrified and refused. So I sat at his chair, pick up the scissors and chopped off my hair! He had no choice but to neaten it up. The next week I went back and persuaded him to start locs. They were tiny; they looked like popcorn!
Did you grow out your locs immediately you went natural or did you wait for some time? I had been growing out my natural hair under the relaxed for a while, so I had huge undergrowth which I started locing as soon as I could.
Why locs? For me, they are natural, all my hair and the most worry free hair I've ever had and as I suspected, it suits me lol.
How has the locing journey been so far? It didn't start out rosy. Infact, I had such massive opposition about them. I had everything chucked at me: theories of madness, invitations to hairdressers to 'sort me out' etc. I still get the occasional 'Oh so you still have them, when are you cutting them off?'
So you got negative comments? Any positive comments when you started locing your hair? More negative than positive. Amazingly, my mum was the first to say something nice about them. She liked the fact that they were neat and looked straight. Later some of my friends started responding better to it.
Why do you think people responded negatively? I think personally that its the whole myth malarky of being associated to madness, then a bit of jealousy about my expression of my individuality set in. Funny enough, men respond differently, they want to touch it and smell it. I can't count how many times at church I've had my head upside in church while people run their hands through it, trying to find a join or just check the texture-many free head massages I tell you!
How do you deal with negative reactions? I ignore them. I love my hair; its me. And the person I was worried the most about-my mum-likes it so the others can take a hike! That's what I say.
What’s your daily hair routine? I wash my hair once a week, but I daily rub coconut oil in it and tress it out, removing kinks. Then at night, I spray jasmine oil on it and wrap it up in a hairnet or silk scarf, that's why its so glossy and long.
What do you like best about having locs? I can swim or walk in the rain with it and not bother. It is defining and when taken care of, it can look really beautiful.
What do you hate most about having locs? My hairdresser comes to neaten it up once in 3 months, that's when I hate it, the pain!
Have you ever done anything to your natural hair that made you say "Ooops!" or "Yeparipa!"? If so, what was it and how did you resolve it? I've dyed my hair blonde and it wasn't a fab look, but I brazened it out for about 2 weeks and dyed it back to black as soon as I could-Never again!
What do you say to others who want to grow locs? How about those who are having challenges at work because of their locs? Make it your own! Look at the shape of your head and check which would suit you. Make sure its always neat, glossy and inviting. Once people start stopping you in the street about your hair-know you're doing good. Remember there will always be haters who hate you being an individual. Tell them Jesus was a Nazarene (its true, no blade touched His hair) and you're His child. Enjoy your hair.
Spoken word or written poetry? The natural bounce of my hair echoes the rythmn of my hips; they sway inviting the curious touch; my lover smells my hair ; inhaling jasmine kisses and coconut hugs; my hair falls; natural to my back, thick , black, luxurious; so very me.
Thank you. and God bless xx
Keep it natural!
Omozo
3 comments:
Beautiful piece at the end...rock ur locs...suits u....xx
I love Abi's hair and hair!!! Very interesting interview!!!
Thanks guys! I'm really grateful. Its been the best thing I've done to my head. They make me truly happy. xx
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