barbershop
2024
if you keep walking past the barbers, eventually you’ll get a haircut.
the story
A Nigerian barbershop is a world of its own. The hum of clippers, the smell of hair cream, and at least one heated football debate fills the air. Someone is always insisting that Nigeria will win the next World Cup, while another argues with the barber about why his hairline shouldn’t be pushed back. The barber, unbothered, keeps working—one eye on his client’s fade, the other on the mirror, ready to defend his own football opinions.
The price list on the wall is more of a suggestion, and somehow, the cost of a haircut always seems to change depending on how fresh your sneakers look. The posters showcase hairstyles no one dares to ask for, and in one corner, a small TV hums, forever stuck on the news though no one is really listening.
As the cut finishes, the barber looks at your hair through the mirror and waits for approval. Whether you nod or not, he’s already dusting you off and asking the next person to sit. A barbershop in Nigeria isn’t just a place to get a trim—it’s a frontline for debates, endless football club banter and an unlicensed therapy center, all rolled into one.
bode razaq
bode rasaq is a 26-year-old barber with hands as steady as his witty comebacks. His shop may be small, but it’s a spot for fresh cuts, lively debates, and unsolicited life advice. With years of experience shaping hairlines and customer service.
He started cutting hair as a teenager, practicing on his younger cousins before turning his skill into a full-time hustle. Bode keeps a cool head, effortlessly juggling customers, cracking jokes, and somehow always knowing the latest gossip.
Though some clients accuse him of pushing their hairlines back (which he strongly denies), they keep coming back—because in the world of Nigerian barbershops, a good trim is important, but a barber who makes you laugh is priceless.
the shop
the barbershop is more than just a place for haircuts, it’s a community center disguised as a salon. Situated in a bustling street, the shop is small but always lively. The walls are decorated with slightly faded hairstyle posters, some featuring cuts no one has ever dared to request. A handwritten price list hangs near the mirror, and a television permanently tuned to the news, the electric fan hums in the background fighting against the ever-present heat.
team
director
taiwo folu
concept art
seth nonike
modeling + lookdev
boluwatife abatan
animation
olamide masha
lighting
emmanuella edeh
tooling
aderemi adesada ● fausan hassan
sound design
saye bawa
