Why I want to reclaim my name
Chinemelum Anyamene called herself Mel at school because no one could pronounce her name. Now 22, she explains how it's affected her - and the pitfalls of anglicising names.
Chinemelum Anyamene was called βChicken Lemonβ at primary school in Croydon β because no one could pronounce her name. Fed up with that, she changed her name to Mel - and has stuck with it ever since.
Now, though, as a 22-year-old graduate entering the job market, she wants to reclaim her Nigerian name. She says there's still a lot of prejudice surrounding people of different heritage who use their cultural names - but they're an important part of someone's identity and it should be the bare minimum for people to make the effort to pronounce them correctly. Names have power, she says. Chinemelum means 'God provide for me'.
For 5 Minutes On, Chinemelum talks to the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ's business reporter, Noor Nanji, who also anglicised her name to make life easier - but has now changed it back. Together, they discuss prejudice, the need to fit in - and how much it matters to be recognised for who they really are.
Photo credit: Chinemelum Anyamene
