Popular Nigerian lifestyle vlogger Yemisi Odusanya popularly known as Sisi Yemmie has narrated how her Yoruba name worked against her while trying to secure a job on her arrival in the United Kingdom.

She said she couldn’t secure a job until she changed she made her middle name which is an English name her first name.

Yemmie shared her experience while reacting to a BBC report about a Uk-based Nigerian lawyer Funke Abimbola who also said she suffered bias when she tried to get into the profession in the UK.

Abimbola told BBC:

“I found a number of barriers to entering the profession because I had an African name and am a black woman, without any doubt.”

She told the BBC: “I had to make over 100 phone calls to get a foot in the door.

“I have experienced bias and situations where, being a black woman, I was judged more harshly over other colleagues. You are more likely to be noticed and are far more likely to have negative judgements made about you if you are part of an ethnic minority.”

Sisi Yemmie who had a similar experience also quoted the tweet to share her story.

She tweeted:

“Yup. I applied for jobs for months while i lived in the uk = nothing. I changed from my Yoruba Yemisi to Sophie. Got a job immediately.”

She added:

“I didn’t get A NEW NAME. My middle name is on my passport and all documents , so just flipped it.”

Some Twitter with similar experiences have also taken to the comment section of Yemi’s tweet to share their story.

@MzTarillz tweeted:

Yep! In the UK immediately I change the name on my CV to my English middle name, I got a very very good job within weeks VS no calls for interviews.

@Eazisrael:

My aunt told me about this too. She changed her name from Remi to Juliana and she got job offers easily

 

See other reactions:

… the system gon catch up with ya some day!

— The Psalmist (@UGOsaintcristo) February 6, 2020

Exactly. You choose your battles

— SisiYėmmié.com ? (@Sisi_Yemmie) February 6, 2020

I had bills to pay o

— SisiYėmmié.com ? (@Sisi_Yemmie) February 6, 2020

All i did was move my middle name to as my first name. I didn’t change any of my names

— SisiYėmmié.com ? (@Sisi_Yemmie) February 6, 2020

Yes it might be in some industries. I never even got a call for interviews. It was someone that adviced me to swap my name & like magic I started getting call backs.

— SisiYėmmié.com ? (@Sisi_Yemmie) February 6, 2020

For some people that was what it took

— SisiYėmmié.com ? (@Sisi_Yemmie) February 6, 2020