Lupita Nyong’o is not one to shy away from her convictions. She belts them out loudly and without apology. Yesterday, she had to call out UK magazine, Grazia for chopping off her hair for their front cover. It’s not the first time African hair is causing a row for whites.

Recall when a secondary school student, Zulaikha Patel, led a protest at her white-owned school in South Africa over ridiculous rules on how students should wear African hair?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbTCfXKDjc8/?taken-by=lupitanyongo

Reactions:

We all tired of thiz eurocentric & western ideals. 1st lets have a reshoot of lupita. 2ndly we need to set the record straight we don't wna look white NO THANK U

— vuvu kravitz (@vuvu_womhlaba) November 10, 2017

Well, Whites are not the only ones who need to accept African hair in its natural glory- Africans need to, as well. Both male and female. Which is why Ayo Sogunro is speaking out.

See below:

On male African hair:

I don't think these curled things were meant to be combed by plastic. Most mornings I don't think they are meant to be combed at all. I think African men settled for low cuts as a compromise between combing stupidly and not looking 'scruffy' to Europeans.

— AYO SOGUNRO (@ayosogunro) November 11, 2017

I don't know much about male hair culture across Africa. But I know that educated Nigerian men still need to be liberated from the colonial image of 'presentability'.

Also, CFRN s 39: Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression… pic.twitter.com/xtTZNOIsLP

— AYO SOGUNRO (@ayosogunro) November 11, 2017

A young Igbo man with plaited hairstyle and uli body and face painting. Photographed by J Stocker, early 20th century. pic.twitter.com/X0KlMHpLXg

— Ụ́kpụ́rụ́ (@ukpuru) July 16, 2017

Reaction:

I decided a long time ago to stop combing my hair and not caring what people say; African hair is graceful and unique so I have learned to embrace and love mine. Other black men, and women, need to learn to love theirs too!

— sideways in linen (@brnzmsk) November 11, 2017

I had these realisation sometime around 2011 & from then, I've tried at several occasions to just let my hair be and let it just lock.

Uphill battle had mainly been with my parents & the corporate job I took in 2013. https://t.co/v15oBwn0Ao

— Celestine (@celestocalculus) November 11, 2017

Africans have always had combs and styled their hair pre colonial times. https://t.co/ofTLMpTI9x

— Jk (@jkomoba) November 11, 2017

The same thing goes for minorities all over the world. It’s ok to embrace our natural selves if that’s what makes us happy. The idea that we HAVE to conform (in order to make everyone other than ourselves comfortable) is detrimental to our individuality. Great thread :). https://t.co/PRDQVDxlFM

— ☽☼ⓚⓔⓔ☼☾ (@OMGkee) November 11, 2017

NOBODY can convince me that I look better without my hair in its natural untended state. Plus it's too much time/money wasted going to the barber's every weekend. How about the discomfort of the clipper? Or the pain of combing full kinky hair? Abegi pic.twitter.com/NpDoPsijc9

— sideways in linen (@brnzmsk) November 11, 2017

Lol. I think an uncombed hair looks rough, as much as white looks white. It isn't something we were taught. Putting in a comb makes it look better https://t.co/AgGg7TbHNU

— Top Dude (@vantage_suite) November 11, 2017

Let’s agree to disagree.