One54 Africa and godfreycomedian
Dec 9, 2025 #one54
#nigeria #darrylvega
American Nigerians Called Akata
[…]
One54, hosted by Akbar and Godfrey, is a first of its kind
podcast spotlighting the untold stories of African entertainers, athletes and
business leaders. Through unfiltered conversations, this podcxast reveals the
challenges and culture clashes of growing up African in America."...
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a Dec, 2025 YouTube podcast and presents selected comments from that podcast about the meanings and uses of the Yoruba (Nigeria) word "akata".
Some of these comments include the newly coined acronym "FBA" (Foundational Black Americans) and its definition of the English language word "tether".
The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the One54 podcast and all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/ataka-is-mean-spirited-word.html for the October 2011 pancocojams post "Akata Is A Mean Spirited Word".
Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/11/comments-about-referent-akata-other.html for the 2017 pancocojams post "Comments About The Referent "Akata" & Other
Excerpts From A 2005 Book About Africans Perceptions Of African Americans by
Godfrey Mwakikagile"
SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT THE WORD "AKATA" FROM THIS PODCAST'S DISCUSSION THREAD
December 2025
1.@live.life.on.purpose
"1:33 mark. Nigerians are jealous of those who made it out
of Nigeria. Got it."
**
Reply
2. @kevinanith2713, February 2026
"jealous of what😂"
**
Reply
3. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@kevinanith2713ask the jealous Nigerians"
**
Reply
4. @helenodiah9420, March 2026
"@kevinanith2713exactly. Naija we do not envy eachother. We
celebrate ourselves"
**
5. @nahnotatall4291
"4:15 = AKATA moment"
**
Reply
6. @AmeriNiiji1983, January 2026
"Godfrey spoke on Africans especially from his country xenophobia"
**
Reply
7. @helenodiah9420, March 2026
" @AmeriNiiji1983 he spoke on South African. Nigeria has no xenophobia. We welcome. People say we are too welcoming. Get your story straight."
**
Reply
8.@Blackhaze3000, March 2026
"Attitudes like that was why African countries and many other
black nations will never grow. Too busy judging and fighting with other black
people who might be different from them instead of fighting with those other
folks who are robbing ya’ll of your resources."
**
Reply
9 @helenodiah9420, March 2026
"@Blackhaze3000 Akata was never meant for Americans. It was for Africans who left the country and came back after many years. It simply means. "Wild cat" it is not that serious. My friends call me "Akata " whenever I return home and we just laugh and merry. You guys ruined it on the US by spreading lies that it is a slur. Is "black panther" a slur. Since when?"
**
Reply
10. @helenodiah9420, February 2026
"This term was originally intended for Nigerians
who have returned to their home country and exhibit altered behaviors. My own
siblings use this term with me, and it is not indicative of jealousy. Rather,
it reflects a change in accent that has occurred due to living abroad.
"Akata" translates to "Wild cat," similar to a black
panther. It is not meant to be taken seriously. The dissemination of
misinformation in America, suggesting it refers to cotton pickers or slaves,
has unfortunately distorted its original meaning."
-snip-
This commenter repeated these same comments multiple times in this discussion thread.
**
11. @Johncampy
"I was born in lagos and lived there for 9 years . I still
get told my accent is foreign 😂"
**
Reply
12. @health2u605
In Southwestern Nigeria there are essentially two main ways of referencing the white man's territories: i) *Ilu oyinbo*, literally meaning 'the white man's country'; and ii) 'Akata,' comes into the wider picture in order to distinguish between Europe and America; they are both referred to as 'Ilu oyinbo,' to know which one of the Ilu oyinbos is being talked about, the affectionate term 'Akata' is always used for America, and never ever used in a derogatory way.
Whoever came up with such a mischievous misnomer should just
go get a life, get closer to his or her roots (where they happen to be an
'original Afro descendant in America,) and learn how the culture
functions. ✌️🤜🤛✌️"
**
Reply
13. @mussiedebrezion8198
"Oh yes it has and still does"
Reply
14. @jameswatson5807
"
Nigerians and Jamaicans had beef way back in the 70s and 80s yet we have never heard of the word. Akata we only found out via social media recent.
Akata It is the name for a wild cat called a serval that has no home but it is used to mean a Yorùbá person who doesn’t know the language or culture, that meaning has been extended to African Americans or black people in general.
Akata- African American, Kokoye- Hispanics, Oyinbo- white people."
Reply
15. @mussiedebrezion8198
"
-snip-
"fba" = "Foundational Black American", a newly coined referent that is used by some people who were formerly known as African American"
**
Reply
16. @jameswatson5807
"@mussiedebrezion8198 You did not read my comment because I
stated the word "Akata used in
Nigeria is not derogatively"
Reply
17. @jameswatson5807
"
**
Reply
18. @mussiedebrezion8198
"@jameswatson5807 let's be honest 😂I'm
tigrinya from Eritrea and we have never been slavs and we have written language
since millena something the rest of Africans don't have since only recently"
**
Reply
19. @tok1879, February 2026
"@mussiedebrezion8198 I'm Yoruba. And if your friend truly
exists, he doesn't know what he's talking about. I've stopped using the word
only because of the way African Americans perceive it but it's purely
descriptive. It can be used both negatively and positively."
**
Reply
20. @roybabineaux5353, February 2026
"@tok1879 you guys have never used it in a positive light
when you use akata towards black Americans and it could be Malcolm X or Martin
Luther King Jr. Let's not start lying now be real with yourself you have never
heard Nigerians use akata in a positive light towards black Americans it is
always in a negative light and that is a fact."
**
Reply
21. @tok1879, February 2026
"@roybabineaux5353 i don't know who you are. And you don't
know who i am but it's crazy you're this certain as to how I used the world.
The word as we used it was an adjective. You would hear usages like " I
have 3 best friends: one is kokoye, one is akata and the last is naija."
Or "my akata wife is gorgeous" it is purely descriptive. There are
definitely usages that are negative as well just as you can use adjectives like
"black" in a negative manner. I don't think that makes the word
"black" a derogative word."
**
Reply
22. @roybabineaux5353, February 2026
"@tok1879 you have a song from a Nigerian called stay away
from the akata. And you say the akata are dumb and stupid you have never ever
use it in a positive light ever. Let's not lie anymore to yourself the cats out
the bag. To us akata is like calling us the n word they are one and the same
now and if you use it in America you might get you teeth knocked out."
**
Reply
23. @tok1879, February 2026
"@roybabineaux5353 there's no way you're this slow. I was
today years old when i find out about this song from 5 years ago with less than
60k views.
Again I'm not arguing that there are no misinformed views
that SOME Nigerians have towards black Americans even though there are going
the other direction as well, what I'm saying is that the word akata is
descriptive. It's very possible to use it in a negative manner.
Also you seem to be set in your conclusion as to what the
true usage is. So i probably won't be responding to you anymore. Enjoy."
**
24. @eon001
**
Reply
25. @Whatupna
"@executivs
And it's used in a derogatory manner as Godfrey demonstrated
but if that's what y'all want to call your own people then good go on and do it
but don't call other people that who don't want to be called that"
**
Reply
26. @SttsSttts
**
Reply
27. @corey22beardable
"@SttsSttts jokes come with a form of truth and jealousy"
**
Reply
28. @SttsSttts
"@corey22beardable it's not jokes though. Its the true.
There is a cultural part in african nations that binds us all together. If I
came and act or behave like German you will be treated like one. Culture is
more important than looks in Africa I believe. This is why our parents make the
effort for us to learn our culture, language and traditions even in foreign
lands."
**
Reply
29. @JohnWick-gl6mw
"@SttsSttts Well
said sir 🇰🇪"
**
Reply
30. @kevinanith2713, February 2026
"@corey22beardable
I'm Nigerian and jealous of what😂"
**
Reply
31. @juggmaneyatta4426, February 2026
"@SttsSttts im black american (Mississippi), but my
grandfather was louisiana creole, he always talked to us about our african
ancestors. Even taught us to speak kouri vini as well as bambara and french. I
tell my friends all the time the problem comes when we as Americans visit
african countries and expect american things and we behave as many americans
would if those expections arent met"
**
Reply
32. @StephanieMiller-z2q, February 2026
"@kevinanith2713if you didn’t make it out of
Nigeria then you are deemed to be “jealous” if you did, then this doesn’t
pertain to you"
"So wait they tell us to connect with Africa and go back
home, but from the sounds of it Africans believe fleeing over here is the come
up 🤔 so what am I missing"
**
Reply
34. @James-x2y5u
"The U.S. is our home. We ADOS/FBA can't "go back"
to a home the ancestors of some of our ancestors were ripped from but we as
their descendants, never knew. There is value in connecting with the African
descendants of our ancestors who weren't transported to North America, and if
some ADOS/FBA want to remain in Africa for awhile, that's their choice. They
are in the home of our ancestors, but their birth home is the United States of
America."
-snip-
The referent "ADOS" (American Descendants Of Slaves) was coined shortly before the referent "FBA" (Foundational Black Americans). Both of these terms refer to part of the population that is commonly called "African American".
**
Reply
35. @TessaMac-n9n, February 2026
"@James-x2y5u our ancestors were SOLD into
slavery."
**
Reply
36. @Keith-b6w2f, February 2026
"Because they ignorantly believe all of us are from Africa
which isn’t true dark skinned people are everywhere on this planet"
**
Reply
37. @LexRuger718, February 2026
"@Keith-b6w2f Oh you one of them with an identity crisis"
**
Reply
38. @Keith-b6w2f, February 2026
"@LexRuger718 far from
it 😂"
**
Reply
39. @007ohboy, February 2026
"@Keith-b6w2f Its adorable...you think youre a Native
American.
What happened to being Egyptian? 😂"
**
Reply
40. @Nickademas1, February 2026
"@007ohboy uh the mockery is a sign of your own ignorance.
Please do research, these ideas while sometimes slightly misguided, are not so
far fetched."
Reply
41. @007ohboy, February 2026
"
**
Reply
42. @Nickademas1, February 2026
"@007ohboy you've cleared up absolutely nothing then
started arguing with yourself..."
**
Reply
43. @killahroundz457, March 2026
"@007ohboy
oh you poor sweet summer child
you didn't know the DNA ancestry tests are for entertainment purposes
only. Those aren't actually accurate you can look it up"
**
44. @MsNathelia
"What do they call the British Nigerians?"
**
Reply
45. @Henrymuglier92
"British Nigerians are referred to as "Britico"
when we visit relatives back in Nigeria"
**
Reply
46. @401Orisa
"@Henrymuglier92 Britiko was more recent and was more popular
amongst older Lagosians who could differentiate between an Americana and
Britiko. Akata is a general term and used more often. An average Yoruba or Nigerians would label
anyone whether Afro Asian, Afro Britiko or Afro American as Akata first. I gets
called Akata daily as well. In short anyone who speak English with foreign
accent even those born in Nigeriaare labeled as akata 😂"
**
Reply
47. @401Orisa
"The same. Everyone born overseas are called Akata or JJC.
Akata basically means Panther in Yoruba but derived for Black Panther party
chapter in Nigeria. It isn’t derogatory at all but some just hate it and paint
it as such"
****
48. @powderedtoastfacekillah734
"So basically Nigerians who use that word are jealous of
Nigerian Americans"
**
Reply
49. @Moe_Lester_fromUptwn, February 2026
"Yep. Same with nonblacks using the N word as a Slur;
insecurity, envy and you said it, jealousy."
**
Reply
50. @badoousain9817,February 2026
"I don't know what it means specifically, but from my
understanding and explanations I've heard,
it's not entirely jealousy - it's more like delineating - saying you're
not born and raised in Africa. Your own family members can call you that, so
it' not entirely derogatory"
**
Reply
51. @Losomosso94, February 2026
"They are really jealous of black Americans when you think
about it…
How they going to jealous of Nigerians and ignore the real
group of blacks that made it all possible ?
Yall try hard but will always fail unless you
keep it real every second every minute about black Americans"
**
Reply
52. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@Losomosso94 that’s
not how it works
Nigerian Americans want to show that they’re also
Nigerian…and Nigerians are gatekeeping because they think Nigerian Americans
had it easier
You had to try hard to misunderstand the conversation as
badly as you did"
**
Reply
53. @Losomosso94, February 2026
"@powderedtoastfacekillah734 Nigerian Americans
definately have called black Americans akata … talk that
You misunderstanding on purpose
And we all know why when it comes to black Americans"
**
Reply
54. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@Losomosso94 well go
comment on that video…this video is about Nigerians and Nigerian Americans, sir"
**
Reply
55. @TyTyBryant,February 2026
"@powderedtoastfacekillah734 it is stop lying"
**
Reply
52. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@T @TyTyBryant u could simply read the video title and avoid
looking this way"
**
Reply
56. @TyTyBryant, February 2026
"@p @powderedtoastfacekillah734 hat’s your opinion. I only
deal with facts over here"
**
Reply
57. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@TyTyBryant but…the FACT is that it literally says
“American Nigerians” in the title, not Black Americans
But by all means please continue whatever you think you’re
doing"
**
Reply
58. @TyTyBryant, February 2026
"@powderedtoastfacekillah734 akata is used on blk ppl too by Africans so
what’s the point."
**
Reply
59. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@TyTyBryant the point is my comment has to do with the
topic of the video and you can’t stay on topic"
**
Reply
60. @TyTyBryant, February 2026
"@powderedtoastfacekillah734 I guess… just know
Hamites and Israelites are not brothers just because they both have different
shades of brown"
**
Reply
61. @JosephHenry-x2z, February 2026
"@Losomosso94 yes I'd say so as a Liberian yes its a little
jealousy and a little confusion. Go to these countries in the villages and see
how they live, you'd think the projects in America is super nice after
leaving.. so for us it's like you have all of this and still complaining. To us
it's like your rich friend talking about idk what to eat my parents order too
many different food while you had 2 hot dogs and ice for dinner"
**
Reply
62. @Losomosso94, February 2026
"@JosephHenry-x2z I
understand … i wish they picked morally strong leaders and geo political
partners and built their sovereignty unite and unite Africa like a the AES…
black Americans need you guys we have no power here. Global influence but no
structural power"
Yah Bless"
**
Reply
63. @MarloBanfield, February 2026
"@JosephHenry-x2z The point is, whether you are in America or
Africa, our people should not be enduring such suffering for the benefit of
everyone else. We are stronger together!"
**
64. @owohscorner
"I'm Bi-ethnic. My mother is Black American, and my father is
Igbo-Nigerian. In the 80s and 90s, ALOT of West Africans congregated in the
American south– not the deep south like Louisiana, but Virginia, the Carolinas
and upper Georgia. And a lot of West Africans, men and women, mixed and married
with the Black Americans in those areas.
Honestly, it could be an entire Anthropological study."
**
Reply
65. @juggmaneyatta4426
"In places like louisiana and Mississippi west africans were
there a bit longer because of the port of new orleans and france and spain
controlling the territory at seperate times. I can trace my family all the way
back to 1781 before louisiana was a apart of the US"
****
February 2026
66.@Cinquemendy9906
"In the Manjaku dialect (West Africa) Akata means to make it,
to overcome, to reach an other side-shore-place-position"
**
Reply
67. @Mo1683
"Stop lying. That’s the main issue, that it’s always
purposeful misinformation"
**
Reply
68. @13579hee, March 2026
"@Mo1683 no, the truth of the matter is that they really
don't even know the origins of that word"
**
Reply
69. @killahroundz457, March 2026
"@Mo1683 but thats just simply not true tho, theres
over 3,000 native languages in africa ,i wouldn't be surprised if the same word has different meanings to
different languages."
**
Reply
70. @meesh2015
"@Ghe608
Every Caribbean parent and every African parent need to send their children home for summertime or winter time or both every year so they understand 💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿"
**
Reply
71. @big-aimpalancapricenationi3217, March 2026
"If they can afford it.
My family couldn't although I got to go home once."
72. @doublepromo8240
"
**
Reply
73. @Mo1683
"Yet they always play dumb with it being a slur for Black
Americans"
**
Reply
74. @d.7203, March 2026
"@Mo1683 the movie was written by a Black American who
doesn't speak Yoruba"
**
75. @mrmystery871
"Akata is not a bad word. It came from the nigerian students in US universities in the 60s during the civil rights movement. Akata in yoruba means a panther. It was first used to describe the black panther group of that era. Nowadays it is used to describe all black americans whether nigerian american or not. As long as you are born and grow up black american, you are akata."
**
Reply
76. @Them_kids_momma
"I suggest you not call Black Americans that."
**
77. @MangoSlade
"Godfrey is still a tether!!!!"
Reply
78. @boomboombaby9140
"
-snip-
This definition of "tether" is from the FBA lineage movement.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/10/what-word-tether-means-to-foundational.html for the 2024 pancocojams post "What The Word "Tether" Means To Foundational Black Americans (FBAs)"
**
Reply
79.@Moe_Lester_fromUptwn
**
Reply
80.@MangoSlade
"@Moe_Lester_fromUptwn That tether is against
reparations!!!!!"
**
Reply
81. @BronzeSista, March 2026
"Godfrey is right. On one post on Instagram. We talked about how Godfrey stood on business, and he make us laugh. A Nigerian man said Godfrey is not one if us. He doesn't even act like us, and he does an accent thats not a true Nigerian accent. We Black Americans lit him up! You don't have the authority to tell Godfrey he's not Nigerian. We have to defend Godfrey because he is also American"
**
Reply
82, @voba2558, March 2026
**
Reply
83. @warrenbfeagins, March 2026
"Every benefit and privilege FBAs have was paid for with
Black blood and bodies in the ground. We were an enslaved MINORITY. Nigerians
are a free MAJORITY, yet tell us about what we should be doing??? I appreciate
what Godfrey is TRYING to do. Some will get it. I'm afraid most won't. These
lessons Godfrey is trying to teach are about 60 years too late. Delineation
gatekeeping and vetting is here to stay. FBA fam. ♥️🇺🇸💪🏿"
**
Reply
84. @TheGhettoPhilosopher
"They asses lying because Many of those aficans that are here
also say stay away from the akata and its not their own kind. They mean the
Americans that were slaves Cynthia Orivo should be calling herself akata but
when she used it it was specifically for us."
**
Reply
85. @TheGhettoPhilosopher
"@helenodiah9420 man stfu with that tether bs. Tether had
one meaning now it has another. Idgaf what you say it meant. Now it's a term
about black Americans. Don't mess with the akata don't sound like don't mess
with your fellow tethers. Save that lame explanation to someone who is new to
akata"
Reply
86. @JoeyIsaiah, March 2026
"
****
87. @graphicsRat
"From the tone of the word Akata I know it's a Yoruba word
and the first time I heard the word used it was by relatives in the US who
would tell stories about being timid and an African American (Akata) arriving
on the scene and putting their foot down and getting the situation sorted out.
The word suggests someone that either no-nonsense, sophisticated and not very
traditional African. It is not intended to be a slur."
**
Reply
88. @meesh2015
"Its actually a slur. Its a yoruba word that basically means animal that doesnt care for its kids."
****
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