Story perspectives

David Oyelowo Apologizes for Slavery-Linked Southern Dialect Remark

6/17/2026

Summary

Story summary

British-Nigerian actor David Oyelowo apologized on Instagram Sunday for remarks that linked the Southern Black dialect to a slowed-down Nigerian accent with “slavery” and “subservience” added.
He had made the comments during a three-hour One54 Africa podcast where co-hosts asked him to demonstrate accents he uses for roles.
The podcast clip went viral and drew criticism that his framing reduced Black Southern English to a passive, reductive stereotype.
Critics emphasized that Black Southern English is a heavily studied variety with roots in African language structures, English colonialism, Caribbean migration, and centuries of cultural innovation.
In his Instagram post, Oyelowo said his comments were “the wrong thing to say,” expressed deep respect for Black people, and called his reduction of the dialect “careless and wrong.”

1 of 1

Story summary

British-Nigerian actor David Oyelowo apologized on Instagram Sunday for remarks that linked the Southern Black dialect to a slowed-down Nigerian accent with “slavery” and “subservience” added.
He had made the comments during a three-hour One54 Africa podcast where co-hosts asked him to demonstrate accents he uses for roles.
The podcast clip went viral and drew criticism that his framing reduced Black Southern English to a passive, reductive stereotype.
Critics emphasized that Black Southern English is a heavily studied variety with roots in African language structures, English colonialism, Caribbean migration, and centuries of cultural innovation.
In his Instagram post, Oyelowo said his comments were “the wrong thing to say,” expressed deep respect for Black people, and called his reduction of the dialect “careless and wrong.”