Listen, let’s just get straight into it — because I’ve been holding this in for a while, and today I feel generous enough to say it with my chest. Some of y’all love the African soil under your feet, the African food in your belly, the African football tournaments for your entertainment — but the second someone calls you “African,” you’re clutching your pearls like I’ve just committed a war crime.
Yes, I’m talking about certain countries in this continent — Somalia, Morocco (and friends, don’t feel too safe, you’re in the group chat too). The way some of you scream “We’re Arabs, not Africans!” is actually laughable. If Africa was a school class, y’all would be the kids dragging your desks to the corner, insisting you’re “different,” while still begging the teacher to grade your papers.
The Historical Comedy Show 🎭
Quick reality check:
Somalia and Morocco are on African soil. Geographically. Factually. Undebatably. If you don’t like that, take it up with God, not me.
You call yourselves Arabs? Cool. But let’s not forget who colonised, enslaved, and actively looked down on you for centuries. Spoiler: it wasn’t the Bantu-speaking neighbors. It was the Arabs.
Let’s flip some dusty history pages, shall we?
The Arab slave trade started around the 7th century — centuries before the transatlantic one. Millions of black Africans were dragged north. That’s why in a lot of Arab countries, anti-black racism is baked in like overcooked bread.
Somalia, Sudan, North Africa — all tied into those trade routes. The cultural “Arabness” came with it. The language, the religion, the prestige. And yes, the colorism and superiority complex too.
So let me get this straight: you’re rejecting Africa but proudly clinging to an identity shaped by people who enslaved you and your neighbors? Make it make sense. 🤔
Religion or Influence?
Before anyone faints, let me clarify: I never said the Qur’an itself teaches that Arabs are superior to Africans. Nope. What I did say — and stand by — is that the interpretation and practice of Islam in Arab societies a influenced this mindset. When Somalis and North Africans embraced Islam, they also absorbed cultural attitudes from the Arab world.
And listen, you don’t even have to take my word for it. If you’re curious, go read the Qur’an yourself, go read how people were instructed to interact with non-Muslims, with outsiders, with “the other.” See if you notice the influence. It’s there.
IF YOU'RE ALLOWED 😉
Morocco at the Football Pitch ⚽🔥
Now, let’s talk receipts. Remember March 2022? The World Cup playoff between Morocco and DR Congo? Chommie, the racism was not hiding. Congolese players and fans accused Moroccans of racist chants and abuse. The internet went wild. And that’s not even the first or last time North African fans have been exposed for anti-black behavior.
Yet the same Morocco will proudly rep Africa when AFCON comes around (oh yes, the Africa Cup of Nations, which ran most recently in Ivory Coast, Jan–Feb 2024). And guess who’s hosting AFCON in 2025? Morocco. Oh, so you’re African when there’s a trophy involved? Cute. 🙃
The Somali TikTok Fashion Police 👗😂
Another day, another TikTok meltdown. So an African girl posts a video: she gets home after work, changes out of her day clothes, and slips into her home outfit—a Baati. Simple, relatable, funny. You know the drill: work clothes → home clothes, school uniform → comfy home wear. We’ve all done it. It’s like a mini “I survived the day” celebration.
But wait… Somali TikTok sees this and loses it: “Nooo! That’s OUR dress! Only Somali women wear this! We invented it!”
Hold up. The video didn’t say that. It wasn’t a claim of cultural dominance. It was comedy. Relatable content. Light-hearted. But somehow, it became a “gatekeeping African dress” competition.
Newsflash: the Baati has been rocking Africa for centuries. Congo, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania… basically half the continent. You wear it a lot? Cool. You invented it? Chommie, sit down.🙄 This isn’t a patent office. Nobody’s suing anyone for comfort. Relax, take a sip of tea, and enjoy the fact that African women have been winning at comfy fashion for centuries.
Forgive, Forget… But Also Remember 😏
I’m not angry. Truly, I’m not. But I find it funny. I find it ironic. I find it absolutely wild that in 2025 we’re still having this conversation. Africans are out here trying to unite (one day🤞🏿), fight for development, uplift each other. Meanwhile, some of our siblings are still busy gatekeeping clothes and running from their own continent like it’s on fire.
No, Somalia and Morocco, Africa isn’t the problem. The problem is the Arab colonisation you still worship like it’s a personality trait. Forgive and forget, yes — but don’t erase yourselves while at it.
Final Word ✍🏾
So here’s my free advice: if you hate being African so much, maybe petition the UN to relocate your whole country to the Middle East. Or better yet, float it into the Mediterranean. Because until then, geography is stubborn, and Google Maps does not lie: you are African.💯
And honestly? That’s not an insult. It’s the biggest blessing you keep running away from. 🌍✨
Signed,
The Girl Behind the Dreamer’s Pause
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