Are you “Dom” at work but “Dominic” at home? Did you buy your British accent on Amazon Prime two weeks after landing at Heathrow? It’s time to talk about the inferiority complex that is choking the African diaspora.

We need to have an uncomfortable conversation. Why do educated, capable Africans suddenly feel small the moment they walk into a room full of white people?

In this powerful episode of The Untamed Section, Eric Khay and mental health expert Solomon rip the bandage off a wound many of us refuse to acknowledge: Mental Colonization. Even decades after independence, many Africans are still subconsciously apologizing for their existence.

Here is why you need to stop shrinking yourself to fit into boxes that weren’t made for you.

1. The “White Visitor” Trauma

It starts in childhood. Solomon recalls how entire schools in Africa would shut down, students would scream, and headteachers would panic just because one white person visited the campus [05:38].

We were raised to view white people as demigods and ourselves as lucky spectators. You carry that child into your adult workplace, and suddenly, you are trembling in a boardroom because you feel you have to work twice as hard to prove you belong there [11:39].

2. Stop Changing Your Name to “Dom”

This is one of the most common symptoms of the identity crisis. You have a beautiful, meaningful African name, but you introduce yourself as “Dom” or “Mo” because you think it’s “easier” for your white colleagues [12:51].

Newsflash: If they can learn to pronounce “Tchaikovsky” or “Schwarzenegger,” they can learn to pronounce your name. When you shorten your name, you aren’t being convenient; you are erasing your identity to make others comfortable.

3. The “Amazon Prime” Accent

There is nothing more cringe-worthy than an African who lands in the UK on October 15th and has a cockney accent by November 25th [16:03].

As Eric hilariously points out, “You can’t buy the accent in the shop!” Faking an accent doesn’t make you sound sophisticated; it makes you sound insecure. The native speakers know you’re faking it, and your fellow Africans are laughing at you. Your authentic voice is powerful… use it.

4. The Lunchbox Shame

Why are you scared to microwave your Jollof or Banku at work? We see colleagues heating up curry or strong-smelling fish without a second thought, yet Africans are terrified of being “the smelly one” [29:21].

The most tragic part? It is often other Africans who shame you for eating traditional food, desperate to distance themselves from their “primitive” roots to fit in with the “modern” crowd.

It’s Time to Unlearn

The white man isn’t forcing you to change your name, fake your voice, or hide your food anymore, you are doing it to yourself.

As Solomon says, “Be true to yourself. You are not a mistake.” [33:09].

Watch the full episode here: