By Daniel Alfred
Hairstyling is a job usually for  for the womenfolk  is gradually been overtaken by their  male counterparts, who have also begin to take  the lead in the business.

One of the male encroachers into this profession is Frank Obaze, a hair stylist who is also a  student of the Prestigious University of Benin, in  the ancient Benin Kingdom, where he is presently studying Biochemistry. Frank who hails from Igbanke Orionwon Local Government in Edo state, and the firstborn in  a family of six children.

He described his hairstyling  as a God given talent.  “I believed the talent has been in me since my days as a little kid, I have little sisters that I enjoyed making their hairs while playing with them. Even when I came to Lagos, I had this lady friend who  has a salon around my area where I go to pass the time  whenever I am idle.

And most times I watch her do her thing, that was how I began to pick more interest in the business. One day I said to my self that I can actually do what this lady is doing. Luckily for me, one day one of the cousins that came to stay with us came with her teddy bear and I began to practice with the hair. I realised I was making the hair though wasn’t perfect on it.

Frank Obaze in action doing what he knows how to do better

One day, my salon-owner friend  gave me the opportunity to work with her and that was how the business started for me and today I been in the business for  four years.”

Speaking on the challenges he added, “I want to believe that my set are lucky because a lot who started before now faced a whole lot of challenges and it was odd then to find a man doing women’s job. But today, the case is different because guys are doing more wonders than expected. Where I was working before, we had four boys and just a girl.

Even now, people still marvel at the act because they still look and say “look at a guy making a woman’s hair”. Initially,  I used to see the fact that people tag the business as a woman’s job as a big challenge, especially amongst some of my friends. But there is this joy I derive from doing it. sometimes I do  it for free. I do it most times to make sure that the person looks good and to see them appreciate  my work. There was a place I worked before, the ladies there, struggles for who to make their hair”.

“Speaking on the special attachment on ladies wanting the boys to make their hair, he said he is not really aware of that, stating that all he knows is that the ladies often says the guys really take there time to make their hair and almost all the guys that makes hair are good in the job. He also stated that the boys are more creative and they put the creativity into play and that is what brings out the difference.”

Frank stated that he generates his own hairstyle  by simply playing on what have been in vogue and bringing uniqueness out of it. “ I have just finished a hairstyle  and I call it ‘Effizy’.  All I did was to make it a little more different from what it used to be and I found out that they like it and that is how I continued with the hairstyle. We hardly see a girl that can compete with a guy in hairstyling, it is rare.” He said

Another challenging aspect of his career, he noted is the ability to juggle between academic studies  and business, “I am presently at the University of Benin, studying Biochemistry. It really has not been easy for me, but I think it is a case of one programming his time very well. I have my time for studies and I make sure it doesn’t collide with time for  business. I give out my complementary card and I have the whole day on Saturdays to attend to my  customers. So many of the girls even book in advance.

So, I have been able to  bring out a schedule for my self. I have the time to read, make money, attend to church activities and time for my school assignments. I thank God so much for His Grace because I don’t sleep so much. I am usually very active at night and I utilize it a great deal,” he said.

Speaking on his charges, he said he doesn’t have specific  charges  and that it is based on the person that request for his hairstyling services. “Like the one I just finished right now, I could do it for another person  at a cheaper rate. But in most cases, I charge about N3000 and above. And most times I even make free hairs for people. It is all about my love for the job. And for nail fixing, I charge from N600 and above. Like I said it all depends.”

On his line of study, he said, “I ventured into Biochemistry because I loved biology while in secondary school then and I had always wanted to study medicine and surgery but  when it was not forthcoming, I went  for the nearest which is Biochemistry. I really want to get the knowledge as a biochemist  and don’t think I will practice.

Any way I really don’t know what the future holds for me. I believe that when I get to that bridge I will definitely cross  it.  All in all, I just love making people look beautiful and bold and at the same time, help my parent and  younger ones as well.”

“All I am doing right now is 70percent of what I would want to do in life and the remaining 30 percent goes to what am studying in school.  There is good money making female hair and as long as women desire to look  beautiful, money will always come. All I do is to keep improving my skills so as to remain on the scene and that is the reason I surf the internet on daily bases to get new hairstyles and see the one I could improve on.

Girls  like crazy things and if you are able to give them something different, you get them hooked. I wish to grow to the stage that I will have to make a hairstyle that will be named after me and people will know me for it.” He concluded.