Veteran Nollywood actor Kanayo O. Kanayo has called out the Catholic Church for what he describes as an offensive and outdated symbolism tied to the use of “black smoke” during the election process for a new pope.
Following Pope Francis‘s death in April 2025, the Catholic conclave came together in its usual routine to elect a new pope, Pope Leo. However, during the decision period, black smoke was emitted from the chimney to indicate that the decision had not been made yet, an act that did not sit well with the Nollywood actor.
In a video posted on Instagram on May 8,2025, Kanayo expressed his displeasure with the traditional practice where black smoke is emitted from the Sistine Chapel chimney to indicate an unsuccessful vote for a new pope, while white smoke signifies a successful election.
So yesterday was that there was black smoke from the chimney, meaning that they failed to elect a new pope. So when they fail to elect a new pope, they use black smoke and when they use white means success.
The opinionated actor argued that the symbolic use of black to mean an unsuccessful vote was harmful and insensitive towards black people.
In the minds of the world, they are saying that black means failure and I think this is bad. The Catholic Church must rise up to this immediately.
We have been vilified enough as black people. So are they calling people the black sheep. Catholic community should use blue, let blue mean that a new pope has not been elected and let white smoke mean that he has been elected. Remove the black, it’s not good for us. Thank you.
