Growing up in the dusty streets of Zing, in Nigeria’s Taraba State, Bright Midian learnt to braid the hair of female children in his neighborhood. One with an unconventional streak, Midian cherished braiding female hair, but his parents wished for him to go school and make excellent grades, as the only child. It didn’t take long before his parents found out about their son’s hidden craft, and their reaction, Midian recalled, broke his heart and punctured his self-esteem.
“I went through hell because my parents didn’t want to see me end up as a hairstylist. They feel disappointed whenever some of our neighbours, friends, or family members express how good I would grow up to become if I continue nurturing the skill,” Midian said.
He didn’t like to hurt his parents, so he kept at his academics while nurturing his hair–making skills on the sly. In 2009, Midian’s father, who was vehemently opposed to his son’s passion for hairstyling, passed away, leaving his wife and Midian, who was still in elementary school. Eventually coming to see Midian’s deep-seated passion for braiding, his mother gave him her blessings. But this didn’t stop the snide remarks Midian received from his colleagues at school, who didn’t approve of a man making hair for women and girls.
From a hairstylist to a makeup artist
In 2014, Midian sat the Senior School Certificate Examination, or SSCE, at the Government Secondary school in Zing, securing admission for a diploma in computer science at the Lagos State Polytechnic, or LASPOTECH, two years later. There, Midian’s interest broadened to makeup artistry. He took lessons on YouTube, and was soon testing out his new knowledge on his female colleagues in no time.
“At first some of them liked it while some would be sharing honest reviews instead, telling me that I needed to improve,” Midian said, adding that their comments kept him going while he worked towards perfecting the art.
More often than not, he made his colleagues up for free, getting better with each dab. Amid all of this, he continued to confront jabs from people who watched him while he spruced up the faces of many girls on campus.
“Some will regard me as weakling or impotent. Even at times, when I have an idea or something to say, people always shut me up and say “You don’t have anything to say, the only thing you know best is how to make a woman beautiful. How to play with their hair or face. You’re not even a man,” Midian told Prime Progress.
The insults stabbed at him each time, and he often cry his heart out when alone, his head booming with questions. Why would they treat him as if he were a threat to their lives? What was their reason for the bullying?
A Negative Bias
Data gathered from a survey conducted in northern Nigeria by this reporter showed that 47.1% of respondents believe makeup is not an ideal male craft, while 55.7% insist that they will not patronize a male makeup artist.
Hailing from a conservative community in northern Nigeria, Midian knew that only a few people would warm up to his idea of pursuing a lucrative career in makeup artistry. Much of this was owing to the public perception around makeup artistry as exclusively dominated by females in the region.
After completing his diploma program in 2018, Midian hoped to relocate to Abuja, where he could enroll for a bachelor’s degree. But his dream of furthering his education was nipped in the bud by his mother’s sudden death. Essentially alone, Midian began to make money off his makeup artistry, eking out a living from the proceeds.
A rewarding journey
In the years since then, Midian’s makeup craft has fetched him money and fame, including invitations from influential clients in some African countries.
“Through this makeup, I was able to visit so many countries, including Benin Republic, South Africa, Senegal, Togo, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. My life changed completely with so many things to be grateful for,” Midian enthused.
Currently living in Bamako, the capital city of Mali, Midian is advancing his makeup brand tagged King Bright Magictouch. He’s more committed to increasing his income from his makeup artistry than paying attention to the insults from outsiders.
Now, he has defied all social norms and charges from N250,000 to 1 million naira per makeup session. Additionally, his works have gone viral, earning him a huge following on social media.
“I charged one million last year on one of my rich brides from Paris. It is one of the most viral videos on TikTok with 1.5 million views. I got so many appointments and bookings with lots of people. And I make millions in a week sometimes. My social media accounts are growing bigger every day. I’m currently at 54.5k on TikTok. 25k on Snapchat. 19.4k on Instagram. 10.9k on Facebook,” Midian highlighted.
Taking others along
In 2019, Midian began organizing online masterclasses and physical sessions for young people interested in learning makeup artistry. This saw him training thousands of youths across Africa. Looking back to his past in Taraba and LASPOTECH, Midian points his success to sheer hard work. He said that he has a dream which sometimes deprives him of the comfort of sleeping.
“I want to achieve a lot of things. I dreamed of seeing that my brand gets all the visibility it needs or deserves. I hope to see it become part of the top-selling business brands in Africa and the rest of the world,” Midian admitted.
While Midian is excited about the outcomes, he is also working on releasing his makeup products to the market soon.
