A Nigerian woman identified as @user6119812239816 on TikTok has shared the culture-shock experience that she says cost her a job in the United Kingdom.
In a video recounting the incident, she explained that a female colleague had just returned from leave, and in what she believed was a warm compliment, common in Nigerian culture, she told the colleague she looked good and had “added some weight.”
Colleague burst in tears
According to her, the remark, which would typically be considered friendly back home, left the colleague in tears. The colleague subsequently reported the comment to management, who interpreted it as body-shaming.
Management holds meeting
She said a meeting was held where she was heavily criticised for “calling someone fat,” and her attempts to explain that it was meant positively were dismissed. She was instructed to go home while a decision was made about her employment.
The lady said she never returned, concluding that the company would ultimately sack her.
Her words …
“In my previous video yesterday, I told you guys that I will tell you a story on how I got sacked as a result of complimenting my colleague in my place of work… “Imagine someone came back from leave and I complimented her that, “Oh, she’s looking good…That, oh, she has added some weight.” Do you know that they tagged it another thing, body shaming? Do you know that this lady, she started crying before I could know it, eh, she has already reported me to the management.
“They called a meeting. No, no, be small matter. They called a meeting and were asking me why will I tell someone that someone is fat? Oh my god, I was so devastated. I was so angry. I was explaining to these people, I said, please, in my country, hmm, this is a mere compliment. “Telling someone that you’re looking good. You have, you’ve added some weight. These people, no gree hear me o. Na so these people say, make I, they go house, say, until they decide I go come back. But me, I know, say na sack. So make you dey see am. Make you dey see the cultural differences. The difference of culture.”
Watch video below …
@preciousonyegu1 Culture shock As a Nigerian new in the UK 🇬🇧
♬ original sound – preciousonyegu1