During the 60s when Fela Anikulapo Kuti went to play in the US, he was introduced to the Black Panther movement. He held shows for them. He wanted to call the movement by their adopted name. Panther in Yoruba is Akata . So he called the movement Akata. And since all members of Black Panther were called "Black Panther" , subsequently Fela and all Yorubas and Nigerians referred to all members of the movement as AKATA. Todays generation may not know the genesis of the word and term it derogatory etc but it isn't. It's a direct translation of the Black Panthers name. And all members of the Movement at that time knew the meaning.