Some Nigerian Americans & Some Other Black People's Opinions About The Yoruba (Nigerian) Word "Akata" (from a 2025 Nigerian American YouTube podcast)

 

One54 Africa and godfreycomedian

Dec 9, 2025  #one54 #nigeria #darrylvega

American Nigerians Called Akata

 “I get a lot of slack from Nigerians for not being a real Nigerian.” – Nigerian American comedian/actor] Godfrey [Daneschmah]

[…]

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."...

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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"

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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT THE WORD "AKATA" FROM THIS PODCAST'S DISCUSSION THREAD

(Numbers are given to these comments for referencing purposes only)

December 2025

1.@live.life.on.purpose
"1:33 mark. Nigerians are jealous of those who made it out of Nigeria.  Got it."

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2. @kevinanith2713, February 2026
"jealous of what😂"

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3. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@kevinanith2713ask the jealous Nigerians"

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4. @helenodiah9420, March 2026
"​@kevinanith2713exactly. Naija we do not envy eachother. We celebrate ourselves"

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5. @nahnotatall4291
"4:15 = AKATA moment"

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6. @AmeriNiiji1983, January 2026
"Godfrey spoke on Africans especially from his country xenophobia"

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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."

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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."

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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?"

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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.

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11. @Johncampy
"I was born in lagos and lived there for 9 years . I still get told my accent is foreign 😂"

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12. @health2u605
"The word 'akata' never has been, and never will be used derogatively. Why would anyone want to twist a word used in referencing America to mean a disparaging way of referring to someone, or a group of peoples, other than he or she harbouring a malevolent desire to spread hate, disdain, division and derision.

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.  ✌️🤜🤛✌️"

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13. @mussiedebrezion8198
"Oh yes it has and still does"

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14. @jameswatson5807
"@mussiedebrezion8198  it is like woke where the meaning is twisted. Akata in Nigeria is not derogatively,  the odd thing is in the UK.

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."

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15. @mussiedebrezion8198
"@jameswatson5807 akata is a derogatory slang for fbas ,i had Nigerian friends tell me this😂 personally and they were yoruba like my friend sunday ,I'm Eritrean i know this personally and even us Eritreans call fba barya which means slaves many times unfortunately so the lies have to stop period"
-snip-
"fba" = "Foundational Black American", a newly coined referent that is used by some people who were formerly known as African American"

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16. @jameswatson5807
"@mussiedebrezion8198  You did not read my comment because I stated  the word "Akata used in Nigeria is not derogatively"

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17. @jameswatson5807
"@mussiedebrezion8198  The slave thing makes no sense, when Africans enslaved each other. So it makes no sense."

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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"

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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."

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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."

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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."

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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."

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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."

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24. @eon001
"Same in the UK. And I've even heard about grown Nigerians that spend a few years living abroad, and they get called Akata."

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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"

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26. @SttsSttts
"Or you are just a foreigner or adopted foreigner culture. My brother is full blown Rwandese but he was born in Germany, does not speak or understand our culture, everyone calls him German man or foreigner here😂😂, it's not because they are jealous."

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27. @corey22beardable
"​@SttsSttts jokes come with a form of truth and jealousy"

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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."

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29. @JohnWick-gl6mw
"@SttsSttts  Well said sir  🇰🇪"

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30. @kevinanith2713, February 2026
"@corey22beardable  I'm Nigerian and jealous of what😂"

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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"

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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"

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33. @killmongermyhero1169
"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"

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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". 

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35. @TessaMac-n9n, February 2026
"@James-x2y5u our ancestors were SOLD into slavery."

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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"

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37. @LexRuger718, February 2026
"@Keith-b6w2f  Oh you one of them with an identity crisis"

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38. @Keith-b6w2f, February 2026
"@LexRuger718 far from it 😂"

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39. @007ohboy, February 2026
"@Keith-b6w2f Its adorable...you think youre a Native American.

What happened to being Egyptian? 😂"

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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."

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41. @007ohboy, February 2026
"@Nickademas1 research BS? DNA is a thing. But dont let science get in the way of a good vibe, Dr Yakub. 😂"

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42. @Nickademas1, February 2026
"@007ohboy you've cleared up absolutely nothing then started arguing with yourself..."

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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"

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44. @MsNathelia
"What do they call the British Nigerians?"

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45. @Henrymuglier92
"British Nigerians are referred to as "Britico" when we visit relatives back in Nigeria"

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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 😂"

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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"

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January 2026

48. @powderedtoastfacekillah734
"So basically Nigerians who use that word are jealous of Nigerian Americans"

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49. @Moe_Lester_fromUptwn, February 2026
"Yep. Same with nonblacks using the N word as a Slur; insecurity, envy and you said it, jealousy."

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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"

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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"

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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"

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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"

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54. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@Losomosso94 well go comment on that video…this video is about Nigerians and Nigerian Americans, sir"

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55. @TyTyBryant,February 2026
"@powderedtoastfacekillah734 it is stop lying"

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52. @powderedtoastfacekillah734, February 2026
"@T @TyTyBryant u could simply read the video title and avoid looking this way"

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56. @TyTyBryant, February 2026
"@p @powderedtoastfacekillah734 hat’s your opinion. I only deal with facts over here"

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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"

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58. @TyTyBryant, February 2026
"@powderedtoastfacekillah734  akata is used on blk ppl too by Africans so what’s the point."

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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"

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60. @TyTyBryant, February 2026
"@powderedtoastfacekillah734 I guess… just know Hamites and Israelites are not brothers just because they both have different shades of brown"

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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"

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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"

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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!"

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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."

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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"

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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"

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67. @Mo1683
"Stop lying. That’s the main issue, that it’s always purposeful misinformation"

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68. @13579hee, March 2026
"​@Mo1683 no, the truth of the matter is that they really don't even know the origins of that word"

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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."

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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 💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿"

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71. @big-aimpalancapricenationi3217, March 2026
"If they can afford it.

My family couldn't although I got to go home once."

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72. @doublepromo8240
"Strange how "akata" is a popular word now because the movie ":Sugar Hill" with Wesley Snipes and Michael Wright was released in 1994 and there is a scene where to African men tell Romello (Wesley) and Raynathan (Michael) "we cannot do business wiith akata."  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybfv_17pyGo "

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73. @Mo1683
"Yet they always play dumb with it being a slur for Black Americans"

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74. @d.7203, March 2026
"@Mo1683 the movie was written by a Black American who doesn't speak Yoruba"

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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."

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76. @Them_kids_momma
"I suggest you not call Black Americans that."

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77. @MangoSlade
"Godfrey is still a tether!!!!"

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78. @boomboombaby9140
"A tether is a person that comes from or has ties to another country that looks down on , questions roots not accepting the truth , disrespectful to the people that made it possible for them to enter the country.😮"
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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)"

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79.@Moe_Lester_fromUptwn
"@boomboombaby9140 a tether is a wolf in disguise, godfrey isn't that. He calls out the bs"

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80.@MangoSlade
"@Moe_Lester_fromUptwn That tether is against reparations!!!!!"

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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"

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82, @voba2558, March 2026
"That guy is akaterian, means that guy is from abroad"

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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. ♥️🇺🇸💪🏿"

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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."

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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"

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86. @JoeyIsaiah, March 2026
"The mindset in these comments is disgusting, we all need to come together as one instead of fighting each other keeping the distraction going, I'm garifuna-honduran American, when my parents came to America in the 90s and how most PEOPLE SEE AMERICA is how it was marketed as "THE LAND OF THE FREE" what Americans have to understand is that in our homelands the corruption is overt and the GANGS have taken over, hec our police walk around with rifles not pistols and you're saying stay home and figure it out? ARE YOU DUMB???? THINK LIKE THIS, America will soon go through the overt corruption and that's when civil war begins and when that starts there's not enough firearms to hold anything down, what they'll do is bac out their A.i powered firearms to put everyone in chec, then what's going to happen? THE AMERICAN WILL TRY TO LEAVE AND IMMIGRATE IN ANOTHER PLACE AND IMAGINE IF THAT PLACE HOLDS THE RHETORIC OF "FIGURE IT OUT IN YOUR HOMELAND" that is why that thinking is detrimental, now for the people who aren't Americans you have to understand and RESPECT THE BLAC AMERICAN for all of their work that people like you and I benefit from while they get no credit so their anger will always be justified, the fighting NEEDS TO STOP and we all need to come together in peace and fight THEM together instead of separate, we first fight bac in America by becoming self sufficient and STOP THE HEAVY CONSUMERISM"

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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."

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88. @meesh2015
"Its actually a slur. Its a yoruba word that basically means animal that doesnt care for its kids."

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Comments About The Nigerian Word "Akata" That Is Usually Considered To Be A Derogatory Referent For African Americans

Edited by Azizi Powell, Pancocojams founder and editor

This pancocojams post presents some visitor comments and my responses to those comments from the October 2011 pancocojams post "Akata Is A Mean Spirited Word".

The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and linguistic purposes.

Among other things, this compilation provides some examples of the attitudes and opinions that some Nigerians had -and some Nigerians may still have- about themselves and about African Americans.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in that post and in that discussion thread 

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/ataka-is-mean-spirited-word.html to find that post.  

As of December 20, 2025 at 6:58 AM EST,  that 2011 pancocojams post had a total of 14847 visitors and a total of 44 comments, including my acknowledgements and thanks to those who responded to that post. 

I've added numbers to these comments for referencing purposes only. The last visitor comment for that 2011 pancocojams post is dated October 19, 2019. 

Additional comments are welcome in the discussion thread of that 2011 post and/or in the discussion thread for this 2025 pancocojams post. Thanks in advance!

For the record, I'm an African American woman who voluntarily founded and curates this pancocojams blog. 

Many of these visitor comments in that 2011 post's discussion thread includes information which identified the commenters by race, nationality, and/or geographic location. To be specific, most of this discussion thread's commenters self-identified themselves as being "Nigerian" from Nigeria-with or without their ethnic background such as Yoruba or Igbo), or "Nigerian" from the United Kingdom, or Nigerian who lived or live in the United States, or African American (also given as "Black American", "Black"), or "White", (in this discussion thread referring to a White woman who is married to a Nigerian).

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SOME COMMENTS FROM THE 2011 PANCOCOJAMS POST "AKATA IS A MEAN SPIRITED WORD"

1. SallyZA, October 13, 2011 at 5:08 PM
"Azizi, I checked the nairaland forum,mostly to see if anyone discussed what first came to mind when I read this.Here's the comment by chinani...

"think about the nature of West African languages. Use Igbo & Yoruba for example. In both languages words are spelled the same but mean different things b/c our languages are tonal. So anyone who tells you it has a definite meaning one way or another is misinformed."

Some posters think it is entirely dismissive or belittling,but as this poster suggested the actual meaning would depend on the pronunciation.Without the tonal indications it would be impossible to know exactly what is meant.

I don't know if it is a Yoruba word,but I do know that many Yoruba are no longer fluent in the language,as it is considered more modern and sophisticated to speak English,and many people communicate mostly in Nigerian pidgen because it can be understood across cultures and ethnicities.The younger posters may have no idea of the origin of the word and may be more likely to use it as a slur.

When I was in Nigeria I heard the word "oyinbo" several times,and when I asked my husband for the meaning he looked at his brothers as if to ask whether he should tell me. It means white man(or person),and when children were running after our car shouting "oyinbo pepe(pepper)" it was clearly meant as a taunt.I took it to mean that I am as white as a pepper,in other words pinkish.I also know that it can be used derisively or simply descriptively,and I got kudos for coining the phrase "oyinbo tax" for the extra money people wanted to charge for white people.Yorubas do have a great sense of humor and love to tease and sometimes be teased,so I think it will be difficult to get a definitive answer on the word itself.I think it would largely depend on the person using it.

Meanwhile I will ask my Yoruba husband,and some Yoruba friends and family for their opinions,and I'll get back to you.

Sally Adebayo"

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2. azizi, October 13, 2011 at 8:01 PM
"Thanks, Sally.

I appreciate your comment. Thanks also for sharing your personal experiences with being called "oyinbo".

I look forward to learning more about the origin and original meaning of "ataka"."

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3. AnonymousDecember 4, 2013 at 10:05 PM
"the correct term is "akata"

- I myself am nigerian...

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4. Azizi Powell, December 11, 2013 at 4:15 AM
"Thanks, anonymous.

I made a typo in the beginning of my comments to that post and continued that incorrect spelling throughout my comments with the correct spelling in the post. That's very poor editing on my part.

I've made those corrections."

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5. Anonymous, March 6, 2014 at 10:25 PM
"Two of my African Cowokers told me their people call us "Akata" and laughed. I had a feeling it was something bad... I'm pretty pissed now. Thank you for blogging this because I had no idea what it really meant."

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6. Azizi Powell, March 7, 2014 at 9:14 AM
"You're welcome, anonymous.

I also don't like the word "Ataka". I published this post to increase awareness of this word. That said, that word doesn't define all Nigerians since I doubt everyone in that nation uses it. Also, that word doesn't define all of the people who use it or who have used it.

I'd like to share this true story that happened to me way back in 1964 which I think is relevant to this topic.

This encounter happened to me when I was a teenager attending a one week summer assembly (a Bible course for young people) at a New Jersey liberal arts college. African American students from throughout the state who attended that religious course were housed on the campus of that college and we ate our meals at the same cafeteria as "real" college students who were attending summer school for their accredited courses.

On that particular day when I was in the cafeteria lunch line I realized that there was a young Black African man standing in front of me. (I recognized him as an African because I had just read a book about some people in that continent having "tribal scars" on their face.)

I remember getting my nerve up and asking that man "Excuse me, are you from Africa?" When the man answered "Yes", I continued by saying "I've read that Africans don't like Black Americans. Why is that?"

I remember that man looking at me and saying "Black people in the United States don't like yourself. Why should anyone else like you?"

That's all that I remember about that conversation. But it left a lasting impression on me. Now, decades later I can truly say that I have high self-esteem and high racial (group) esteem. And that conversation with that man whose name I probably never knew was one of the things that motivated me to get here.

Thank you for so succinctly getting to the heart of the matter, brother who ever you are."

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7. Unknown, June 9, 2014 at 6:07 PM
"Akata is a Yoruba word that means straw hat or panther. I don't know how it became a word to refer to African Americans, but I am sure that it isn't derogatory at all. I have also heard a theory that it is from the way African Americans speak with loose intonation compared to the heavy intonation of most Africans. I assure you, akata is just like oyinbo, a word for white person. Thank you."

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8. Azizi Powell, June 9, 2014 at 8:14 PM
"OLUMIDE GBADEBO. thanks for your comment.

 I appreciate the information that you are sharing.

 From other things that I've read "akata" may not have originally meant something negative, but for some reason it has become a negative referent for African Americans.

I don't think that "oyinbo" has any negative connotations, but it certainly seems that calling someone "akata" can be insulting."
-snip-
Update on December 20, 2025 - Since I wrote that comment in 2014, I've come across some online content that indicate or imply that the Yoruba word "oyinbo" can be used as a negative referent for White people. 

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9. Anonymous, July 13, 2014 at 9:35 AM
"akata
Contrary to popular opinion among non-Yorubas and some Nigerians or Africans who does not understand this word, akata does not mean coton picker or slave and it is not derogatory.

It means a cat that doesn't live at home like a wild non domesticated cat, this is used to reference mostly African Americans as they are considered Africans by all Africans but the fact that they don't live in Africa make them akata while those of us who live at home can be considered as Ologbo (cat).

It is no different from an African American calling his buddies "cat" , it is just that the Yorubas recognize the fact that this is a cat that isn't at home.

I am Yoruba who also studied Yoruba in high school and have a better understanding of this word than any none Yoruba or Yoruba who have never studied Yoruba as a language.

It is also another word used to identify Africans who have visited America.

On a recent visit back to Nigeria, a friend was asked about the Iraq war and he directed the question to his friend another Nigerian who was visiting home from America.

" why are you asking me that?, ask the akata here , he can answer it"

The Nigerian have also become an akata because he no longer lives at home.

This is a Yoruba word and only a Yoruba can truly know what it means, for more information search online for Yoruba dictionary, then email the Yorubas listed on the contact page for meaning of akata and they may be able to help you further."

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10. Azizi Powell, July 13, 2014 at 12:37 PM
"Thanks anonymous for your comments (assuming that both July 13, 2014 comments are from the same person).

Here's the quote from that website your shared:

Question: "What is the real definition of the word "Akata" which is used by Nigerians in designating African Americans?"

Cashew answered 7 years ago [2006 or 2007)

'Simple Definition: The word akata is actually a word from the language of the Fanti tribe of West Africa.The word was later assimilated into the more popular Yourba language. Although, its basic meaning is "African American" but over time it has come to have derogatory connotations due to tensions between African immigrants and African Americans. The original word is not offensive and the resulting connotation is as a result of misunderstanding and miscommunication.

The term was popularised in Hollywood by the movie Sugar Hill.

The word akata is a Yoruba word, it is used for a cat that does not live at home, the cat that lives at home is called Ologbo or Ologinni,so by calling African Americans akata they are only implying that the African Americans are blacks that don't reside in the continent of Africa though it is often used to refer to African Americans because of the movie it can actually apply to any African Living outside of Africa ,the Yoruba's don't use it as a derogatory word, If a Yoruba called an African who is visiting Africa akata it rather confer some higher social status on them, having been to America (God's own country , as Nigerians call America).”

[end of quote]

Source: wikipedia - not the best I know  “
-snip-
December 20, 2025- I added the note in italics to clarify that that was the end of the quote from Cashew.  

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11.  Omowale, November 30, 2018 at 10:56 PM
"Why slander Mother Africa because you are angry with a few Africans?

Lets be real!! Most African people on the continent or in the diaspora use language in a very ,very complex social and cultural way. Akata is a word that can be used by almost anybody, in almost any social situation in so many different ways. Why be so hypersensitive? What is all the fuss about? Is your self-esteem so low that a Nigerian calling you "akata" will crush your spirit and push you closer and closer to the edge?? Why assume the worst possible meaning for "akata" if you don't understand Yoruba culture and don't understand the language?

Olori buruku
Omowale"

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12. Azizi Powell, December 1, 2018 at 2:59 AM
"Omowale,

Thanks for your comment. However, with all due respect, I disagree with your depiction of me as "slandering Mother Africa" and as "being angry with a few Africans".

Also, I don't believe I'm being "hypersensitive". Nor is "my spirit crushed". Also I don't believe that I "have assumed the worst possible meaning for "akata".

I definitely agree with you that I "don't understand Yoruba culture and don't understand the language".

You will note that this pancocojams post was written in 2011 and is a compilation of quotes from Nigerians about the word "akata" which I had first come across. I updated this post in 2018 when I again randomly came across the word "akata" in my online reading.

I appreciate the number of comments from Nigerians and from others that this post about "akata" has generated.

One love!"

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13. j2y2k3, January 31, 2019 at 1:37 AM
"Very few people in Nigeria, actually know what Akata means, outside of the context that it refers to African Americans, similar to the way Oyinbo applies to white (even though we never use oyinbo to refer to white as a color of an object).

Granted, when Nigerians are talking about Oyinbo or Akata, or really any other group of people, sometimes even other Nigerians of another tribe, it's going to be negative, just being honest. Nigerians are raised to talk trash, mostly as a rite of passage. We often laugh about all the various and creative ways our parents and elderly people insult young people, you can find tons of videos on youtube about such things.

Nigerians, and really just Africans in general, don't have a culture that is heavily interested in analyzing language. I'm trying to imagine myself attending a lecture or having philosophical conversations with friends and family about "Akata", or "Aje Butta vs. Aje Paco." In America, we do that a lot. We analyze words, their meanings, debate over who should be able to say some terms and others. I've spoken to other foreigners, some Asian and some European, and we all kind of see it as being a product of sensitivity, but since I've lived in America most of my life, I see it as more a product of America's culture war."

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14. Azizi Powell, January 31, 2019 at 4:04 AM
"j2y2k3, I appreciate your comments and I'm intrigued by the statement that "Nigerians, and really just Africans in general, don't have a culture that is heavily interested in analyzing language."

As you can probably tell, it's my nature to analyze words and their meanings...I never considered that I do this because of any sensitivity. If I were to attribute it to anything, I'd attribute it to my astrological signs (Virgo rising meaning Mercury rules my natal chart and my Mercury is in Sagittarius in the third house.) I'm not going to explain all of that but be that as it may, I'd love to hear (read) more about Africans not analyzing language."

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15. Azizi Powell, January 31, 2019 at 4:21 AM
"Jwy2k3, I meant to include a comment indicating that I've read about Nigerians "trash talk". Thanks also for mentioning that.

I wonder if Nigerians (and perhaps other Africans) are raised to be used to insults because "life is hard" and this toughens them up. That same thing occurs among African Americans...

Yet, I still want to note that the word "Akata" can still be hurtful to Black Americans. So are you saying we [Black Americans] should just "suck it up"? [to use an African American street expression]

Maybe we should, but I think what is hurtful to me about the word "Akata" is that I wanted to think about Nigerians and African Americans as "brothers and sisters" only to find out that Nigerians put down African Americans.

But in the real world, there are heavy duty ethnic and regional conflicts in Nigeria and in other African nations. Given that we (African Americans) shouldn't be surprised that we aren't automatically accepted as "family" by Nigerians and by other Africans."

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16. j2y2k3, February 2, 2019 at 10:57 AM
"I don't think Black Americans need to understand the word. It's like an argument with a neo-confederate who wants to see the confederate flag as being symbolic of heritage and not oppression. You can point it out to him, state all the facts, but if he chooses to close his mind to the perspective of blacks, then that's what it is. If Black Americans want to see it as a word that degrades them, and want to take that stance, outside of traveling to Africa and living day to day with other Africans, I don't think arguments or appeals to reason is going to change anything.

I was born in the U.S. and really until I was 8 and lived in Nigeria, I saw myself as only Black. I still do, but I also see myself as a Nigerian as well now. I get the two perspectives, so I know a lot of Black Americans are always going to struggle with understanding or integrating African views or perspective on things, because many Black Americans look to Africa for solutions to white supremacy. Much of Black American culture, identity and worldview rotates around white supremacy: even many try to interpret African politics or situations via the lens of white supremacy, when they encounter a worldview that doesn't see the world that way, and is also black, it's hard to psychologically mesh with it.

Much of the regional and ethnic conflict in African countries, predates colonization. Africa was divided into conquering empires as opposed to sovereign nation states prior to colonization. When there is peace, it usually comes about because other tribes accept and acknowledge the differences, and let them be. As a Nigerian, my best friend is an Igbo man, I'm Yoruba. If you asked him if he thought whose tribe was superior, he'd claim his own, and if you asked me I'd claim mine. It's often the people who can't accept this rivalry and separateness, that have often been the ones who become African dictators or treat Africans like shit, This might explain another tension between Black Americans and Africans, Africans might be black, but they value their tribal identity way more than their blackness, and they are skeptical or distrustful of people who want them to think otherwise.

Finally, I'd like to bring up the whole thing about language and sensitivity. I believe it was W.E.B. DuBois who said that most Black Americans suffer from a double consciousness. No need to delve deep into this, but most Africans and Caribbeans don't have this issue. There's an inherent stress and tension that comes in the lives of an African Americans, where you're trying to assert your identity and repress the identity that white society wants to on your people. That stress and tension doesn't exist with African or Caribbean Immigrants (it does become more of an issue with 2nd and 3rd generation types, but that's a different discussion). I don't think Africans can help Blacks deal with this, since it's not something they can relate to (even South Africans who've dealt with Apartheid wouldn't be able to), I think this might be another reason why we are more frivolous about language...we're under less stress."

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17. Azizi Powell, February 2, 2019 at 12:27 PM
"j2y2k3, I appreciate your comments.

I recognize that you are speaking in generalities, for instance your comment that Africans are under less stress than African Americans. I would imagine that Africans living with the reality or the threat of ethnic and/or religious violence would cause lots of stress.

I'll give your comments some thought and encourage others to chime in to this discussion.

Keep on keepin on!"

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18. j2y2k3, February 2, 2019 at 1:30 PM
"Thank you, I just want to clarify the part about stress.

I'm referring to a stress about their own identity/culture. When I was a kid before moving to Nigeria, even then I was very conscious of this stress in white places, moving to and living in Africa unburdened me of it, so I tend to be more sensitive to it than many of my African peers, so I get it.

Poverty, ethnic and religious violence are a different type of stress than say double consciousness (as much as that is covered in the west, Africans mostly stress about political corruption).

Regardless, thanks for listening."

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19. Azizi Powell, February 2, 2019 at 7:36 PM
"Thanks for your clarification, j2y2k3 and you're welcome.

Again, I believe that you are speaking in generalities as I don't think that every African American feels "stress regarding their identity/culture in white places" or that stress is felt to a greater or lesser degrees dependent on the American who has some Black ancestry and the location and context that that person is in."

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20. j2y2k3February 3, 2019 at 4:39 PM
"Hmmm, I don't think I got my point across.

 Are you familiar with the concept of double consciousness?"

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21. Azizi Powell, February 3, 2019 at 8:58 PM
"My apologies for my typos and grammatical errors in my last comment in this exchange. Regarding my last point I meant to write that I believe that [the stress regarding African Americans' identity/culture in white places] is felt to a greater or lesser degrees dependent on the [particular] American who has some Black ancestry and the location and context that that person is in.

With regard to you question about whether I'm familiar with the concept of double consciousness, yes.

And at this point, I'll leave the discussion floor open to whoever wants to continue this discussion.

Thanks for your comments, j2y2k3."

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22. Lisa, November 3, 2019 at 2:01 AM
"Here is an example of the stress that I think j2y2k3 is referring to: You have an encounter with a White person, a Black American's internal dialog after said encounter will generally include any of the following "Did he say that because I'm Black? Was I treated that way because I'm Black? Did she look at me like that because I'm Black? Would my experience have been different if I wasn't Black? " and so on. Africans don't have that internal dialog, at least not naturally. We have grown up with it and it is so ingrained in us that we don't even realize the stress it causes."

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23. Lisa, November 3, 2019 at 2:12 AM
"I think the word was meant to be "other-ize". As in lighter skinned AA's treat darker skinned AA's as lesser than themselves."

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24.Azizi Powell, November 3, 2019 at 10:20 AM
"Lisa, colorism works both ways- some lighter skinned African Americans look down on darker skinned African Americans and vice versa...also some lighter skinned African Americans wish their skin were darker, especially now when a lot of Black people in the USA are talking about "Black girl magic" and "melanin poppin"...

I've read some really problematic comments from darker skinned Black people about Black and Brown people whose skin isn't as dark as dark as theirs."

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25.  Azizi Powell, November 3, 2019 at 10:23 AM
"Thanks for sharing your perspective on this Lisa.

You wrote that "Africans don't have that internal dialog -at least not naturally".

I'm curious, what African nation do you live in or are you from?"
-snip-
Update December 20, 2015: Lisa didn't answer my question and she didn't post any other comments in this discussion thread.

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26. Anonymous, May 27, 2019 at 2:10 AM
"Azizi, you are better off in America if you still don't understood what these people are trying to say to you. Nigerians often insult other Nigerian tribes, and some of them consider black Americans to be our own tribe, the Akatas. Yes, it can be used in a negative way as well as a positive or neutral way. Think about the word "special". It can mean extraordinary or retarded, depending on how you use it. You seem to be expecting special treatment from them for some reason, or maybe you're under the impression that all Africans get along -- they don't. In fact, that's probably why they split into so many different tribes...lol. At the end of the day, they aren't discriminating against you. They're just talking sh*t the same way black Americans like to talk sh*t. Now you know where we get it from...ha! Welcome home.

And akata means "panther" in the Yoruba dictionary. It was what they labeled the Black Panthers when they visited Nigeria back in the 1960s. It's really not a big deal and it would be stupid to ban it. That would just make them use it even more. Stop being so sensitive and just embrace it. Personally, I'm proud to be a part of the Akata tribe. We experienced a lot during our time away from Africa. We left in iron chains and came back with gold chains. They tried to destroy us but we're still here. Be proud of that. Be proud to be an Akata."

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27. Azizi Powell, May 27, 2019 at 8:20 AM
"Hello, unknown.

I appreciate your comment, but I don't agree with what your assessment of my thinking or feeling. I also don't agree with your conclusions, and I definitely don't consider myself belonging to any panther or Akata tribe.

That said, I'm proud to be of African descent."

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28. Anonymous, August 26, 2019 at 12:11 AM
"We - Yorubas - may not, now, know what the word, Akata, means, but, have no doubt that its original intention was to derogate. And, I'll give you a clue that will remove all doubt as to this intention. Yes, it has come to be used to, faux-mockingly, refer to any Nigerian who may have lived in the US for any period of time; even those who have been merely for a few weeks' vacation. Its intention was to derogate.

First, the fact we, Yorubas, who coined the term, now, struggle to define it speaks volumes. Without going into too-long-a-tale, we struggle to speak our own language because of the legacy of colonisation that brainwashed us into disparaging our language for the 'superior' Queen's English; this is what Fela Anikulapo-Kuti referred to as colo-mentality. In the elite schools of Nigeria, for example, if you had a reputation for grammatical errors in English or your intonation was not Queen's English enough, you'd practically have no friends. In fact, it's not too dissimilar to the American situation where lighter skinned African-Americans otherise darker skinned African-Americans.

Yes, centuries of enslaving and colonising Africans came to 'end', but, it didn't at the same time. Over all those centuries, the interests that had become vested in the benefits of slavery and colonisation could just not be ended by abolishing slavery and granting independence, can it. We’re talking money, here!

So, we had the constructs of divide-and-rule (that created the ‘accident of geography’, called Nigeria – the most populous black nation, for example) and racism (to take care of the diaspora of the formerly enslaved). It’s out of this construct that colo-mentality was borne, and it necessitated that we coin the Yoruba term ‘akata’; equivalent terms exist in all 200+ Nigerian languages and dialects. So, I’ll hazard a guess that it exists within most African languages.

I came across this webpage because I, too - a Yoruba man, needed to know the exact meaning of the word. The ‘ka’ in akata means ‘to pluck’. When you preface to become ‘a ka’, it means ‘someone who plucks’. So, I wondered if ‘ta’ stands for cotton, hence my search for a translation. But, whether there’s a term for cotton in Yoruba or not, I have no doubt, and I have context, that it’s a derogatory term, because, the Yoruba term that is used to refer to another significant diaspora, in the Caribbean, leaves to room for ambiguity. That term is ‘ireke’, which means sugarcane.

Every Yoruba kid, bar none, who got sent to Britain and US to pursue further studies left with a warning, ringing in their ears, to steer clear of Akatas and/or Irekes. By and large, you hardly heed what your parents tell you, as a kid, thousands of miles away, and, although we used the terms irreverently, I’d like to believe that many of us did not mean harm by it, especially because, in a rather perverse way, we, ourselves, took pride in been called an Akata or Ireke; it meant we looked and sounded less African.

However, the fact that we left the shores of Nigeria with such a message in our ears became a source of great shame for me, because our parents meant it when the said it. I often think that it ought to be a source of great shame for Nigeria, in particular, and Africa, in general that we seek to distinguish ourselves from descendants of enslaved Africans, in the diaspora; to otherise our brothers and sisters. I wonder how the goal of Africa, now, is not to govern and develop itself as to make all these descendants of enslaved Africans proud and, perhaps, even want to return. But, then again, I wonder where; which of the countries will an African-American return to.

1 of 2: A Yoruba man in UK"

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29 .aHoG, August 26, 2019 at 12:13 AM
"2 of 2: A Yoruba man in UK

It’s a complex issue, Azizi. It’s a complex issue that necessitates African countries to plunder their respective treasuries for the benefit of Western financial institutions, rather than for their own benefit. A complexity entailed in the ‘pact for the continuation of colonisation’, for example, that puts France in control of the currencies of its former West African colonies, to date. A complexity we will deliver ourselves from, ultimately. But, make no mistake the elites (aka the 1%) of the African nations that slaves were sold/taken from have as much to answer as the Westerner constructors of racism and divide-and-rule (aka the 1%)."

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30. Azizi Powell, August 26, 2019 at 12:03 PM
"Greetings, A Yoruba man in UK.

I appreciate the information and the perspectives that you shared in your comments.

Your comment is the first time I've read that "a ka" in "akata" means "someone who plucks". Previously, I read that "akata" meant "panther" or "wild cat".

I agree that African economics and African socio-cultural interactions within and outside of that continent with Africans and non-Africans including the African Diaspora are complex issues. Sharing information and opinions helps."

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31. Azizi Powell, August 26, 2019 at 12:18 PM
"Btw, Yoruba man in UK, with regard to your comment:
'In the elite schools of Nigeria, for example, if you had a reputation for grammatical errors in English or your intonation was not Queen's English enough, you'd practically have no friends. In fact, it's not too dissimilar to the American situation where lighter skinned African-Americans other[w]ise darker skinned African-Americans.' did you mean that lighter skinned African Americans are held in higher esteem by White Americans than darker skinned African American?

If so, that was generally true in the past, but not necessarily true now.

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32. Anonymous, August 26, 2019 at 12:55 PM
"The first time I learned about the word Akata was from a YT clip that I viewed on Asian Men/ Black women dating. The creator, a young Ethiopian woman was being nasty to African Americans..saying that no Asian men would want to date them and just kept going of saying " Akata...slave"( for the most part,she wasnt nothing to brag about). That was 20 years ago.

The second time I learned about the meaning of Akata was when I read a book by a Nigerian( Ibgo) woman. The book called " What Will My Mother Say" by Dympna Ugwu-Oju described the word as " derogatory" and in her country , African Americans or those who were descendants of slavery were classified "osu" to distinguish free born Nigerians from those who weren't.

My opinion of the Akata word. So far, I haven't heard any Nigerian Ive been around saying it and hope that they never would. I dont find a thing flattering being compared to an animal.

Even in African-American culture for any White/ non Black person to compare us to animals is considered to be racist.

I dont care what context Akata is put in, I want no part of it.Everytime that word is used, it is never good ( eg .the " Stupid Akata" clip. Yes, White folks are called" Oyimbo" but it just mean " White"..seemingly there is no xenophobic" attachment to it. At best, it can be seen as a racial classification or racist..not in the same way that Akata is".

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33. Azizi Powell, August 26, 2019 at 3:54 PM
"Anonymous, August 26, 2019 at 12:55 PM

 I strongly agree with your opinion about the derogatory word "Akata".

 Thanks for sharing your comment on pancocojams."

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34. Anonymous, September 23, 2019 at 6:13 PM
"The perspectives so far is interesting. I do not agree 100% that it is derogatory. It may be, based on the intent of the speaker and in what context it is used. I grew up in Nigeria admiring "Akata". When you use it to classify someone in my locality it meant respect, when you speak like an "Akata" you are admired by the girls, as a matter of fact we imitate their dress style and imitate their intonation for effect as we called it then. When someone says he is from Akata it means you just came from the U.S.A. We even coined the word "See Akata and Die" meaning it is desirable to visit the land before you pass on. In Nigeria any word can be used as an abuse irrespective of it's original meaning. A well learned intelligent man when he errs can be called an "Educated illiterate". An intelligent student who is on point all the time can be called "oversabi" meaning he is showoff. In the same context "youtoosabi" meaning same thing is used as praise for knowing too much or the opposite. In my summation I think the original intent when the word was coined was not intended to slight African Americans. In the context of Nigerian/African culture, one African American who errs can be referred to as Stupid Akata and that individual may get stuck on the word Akata instead of the word stupid. In all when an indidivual tells me I do not like to called XYZ I desist. That does not mean I was originally disrespectful. My 2 cents"

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35. Azizi Powell, September 23, 2019 at 10:17 PM
"Anonymous, thank you for sharing your experiences with the word Akata in Nigeria.

Your experiences/perspectives add to the information about this word - experiences and perspectives that I haven't found elsewhere online before your comment.

I appreciate it."

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36. Anonymous, October 31, 2019 at 1:00 PM
"You're welcome"

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37.Unknown, October 3, 2019 at 10:24 PM
"Would an African be offended if I called them the “n” word?"

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38. Azizi Powell, October 7, 2019 at 2:58 PM
"Unknown, thanks for your question.

 One response to that question is given below."

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39. Team Abel, October 7, 2019 at 12:14 PM
"I really don’t think so. I, being a first generation Nigerian in America who frequently travels back to Nigeria, hears the younger generation call each other the N word all the time.

Maybe if you were trying to be malicious with the word, yea.

Akata is the name that has stuck but I’m not sure if the original meaning had a negative connotation. If it did, I would say that it ought to not be used anymore.

Follow our Instagram @team_abel, we’re bridging the gap so that we may walk freely back and forth if we wish to do so."

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40. Azizi Powell, October 7, 2019 at 2:59 PM
"Team Abel, thanks for your response to the question about the n word, and thanks for sharing your opinion about the word "Akata"."

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41. Anonymous, October 31, 2019 at 12:59 PM
"As an African American woman, I would be offended if anybody called me the " n" word and there are other African Americans who wouldn't like it.I don't even like it when we use it. Not only is it racist/ disrespectful but I wouldn't want for anybody to think that would be down with them using it. I have actually told some of my family,friends and acquaintances don't use that word and other anti Black descriptions around me. I love who I am and to call yourself that means you must not. I don't see anything "friendly"about it.

As I said before, I wouldn't want anybody to say " Akata" around me. I will never accept that word as being complimentary. My ex fiance was Nigerian and he never used it around me and I wouldn't have tolerated him if he would have,just like I would deal with any non Black person call me the "n" word."

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42. Azizi PowellOctober 31, 2019 at 4:25 PM
"Anonymous, thanks for sharing your comments about the n word and about the word "akata".

I appreciate reading readers' opinions about these words and about people using either or both of these words around them."

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43. Temitope, October 19, 2019 at 11:57 PM
"-Hi Azizi,

I'll be pointing you to a music track released in 1975 as well as a facebook link from the musician.

Akata was and is still a word that means jackal or black panther, as a matter of fact, jackal is more accurate as African black panthers are just melanistic leopards.

The title of the track is derived from a Yoruba proverb (which I'm too lazy to translate right now) and the word actually meant a jackal as the singer was using the proverb to refer to a rival in the song.

The fact that some people do not of a word does not give them the right to change its meaning as 'Yoruba Man in the UK' tried to do, there are lots of words in the English language that modern speakers don't know about, it would make no sense to change their literal meaning for that purpose. 'Akata' is a single word.

The word has been abused to an extent that its origin is now being blurred and its meaning obscure; the first step towards a discussion on this word starts with its literal meaning, we can then proceed to having a proper discussion about its colloquial meaning as is used by Africans in the US today.

'Anonymous September 23, 2019 at 6:13 PM' is closer to the point about the original usage of the in relation to African Americans. I have heard the word used by people used to describe a more educated member of their own family, but I am a Yoruba man and so have a better understanding of the word and the context in which it is used. Any word could be used in a positive and negative manner, 'akata' is no different. In addition, the meaning seems to be changing as it is now being used by people who have no knowledge of its meaning or history. Someone mentioned an Ethiopian using the word, the distance between Nigeria and Ethiopia is more than that between the east and west coast of the US, not to mention the language diversity so I find it impossible that an Ethiopian would understand the meaning of the word other than a perception of it gleaned from some ignorant people.

Note: If you have a Yoruba(not just Nigerian) friend, I'd suggest you have him/her translate the music for you in case you have any doubts.

Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4jurS64zEQ

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/61076345281/posts/evergreen-song-of-the-day-kii-seru-akata-released-in-1975-this-is-another-one-of/180968998587861/"

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44.  Azizi Powell, October 20, 2019 at 7:54 AM
"Thanks, Temitope for your perspectives on the word "akata" as a Yoruba.

 I agree with you that "Any word could be used in a positive and negative manner, 'akata' is no different".

If indeed the word "akata" is changing its meaning "as it is used by people who have no knowledge of its meaning or history", that wouldn't be any different than a lot of words in any language.

You wrote that you have heard the word "akata" being used to describe a more educated member of their family". I'm curious if you were referring to the contemporary use of the word "akata" by Yorubas and/or other people from Nigeria. Also, was the referent meant to be positive or negative or neutral as just a referent for someone who talked or acted like African Americans or other Black people from outside of Africa such as the United Kingdom?

Here are the hyperlinks that you included in your comment: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4jurS64zEQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4jurS64zEQ</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/61076345281/posts/evergreen-song-of-the-day-kii-seru-akata-released-in-1975-this-is-another-one-of/180968998587861/">https://www.facebook.com/61076345281/posts/evergreen-song-of-the-day-kii-seru-akata-released-in-1975-this-is-another-one-of/180968998587861/</a>. 

I used to be friendly with a Yoruba woman who lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but she returned to Nigeria years ago. Ditto, for an Igbo woman who I was friendly with. Unfortunately, I don't know any other Nigerians now.

Thanks again!"
-snip-
Update December 20, 2025, the Facebook page that is given in that comment is no longer available. 

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