“When they fail, it’s black smoke. When they succeed, it’s white smoke.”
These words didn’t come from a theologian or historian—they came from renowned Nigerian actor Kanayo O. Kanayo. And they’ve sparked conversation far beyond the stage and screen.
Kanayo recently voiced strong criticism on Instagram against a long-standing Catholic tradition: the use of black smoke to signify an unsuccessful papal vote. To him, this isn’t just a ritual—it’s a symbol of racial prejudice masked as tradition.
“This idea that black represents failure has been drilled into the global mindset. Why not use blue smoke when no Pope is chosen? Get rid of the black—it doesn’t help us,” Kanayo declared.
During a recent papal conclave, black smoke once again rose from the Vatican chimney. But where many saw routine, Kanayo saw the reinforcement of a dangerous message: that Black is bad, and White is good. A quiet but powerful message repeated for centuries through symbols like this.
Some may argue it’s just a harmless tradition, but Kanayo’s statement challenges us to rethink what messages—even religious ones—we have accepted without question. What harmful stereotypes are still being subtly reinforced, even in sacred spaces?
This isn’t an attack on the Catholic Church—it’s a call for reflection. A call to end the subtle forms of psychological harm that people of African descent have endured for generations.
“Remove the black,” Kanayo urges. Not from a place of shame, but from a place of truth, justice, and the hope of freeing minds from inherited limitations.
