Episode 7: Bayo Akomolafe: Inclusion Isn’t a Fix. It’s a Rewilding of How We See
- Georgina Brown (hershe)
- Aug 11
- 3 min read
This is not your corporate D&I training.
It’s a poetic, radical deep-dive into how we see ourselves, each other, and the world.
Enter: Bayo Akomolafe, philosopher, storyteller, and one of today’s leading voices in “unlearning” and radical inclusion.
For Bayo, inclusion isn’t a checklist, a policy, or a box to tick.
It’s a rewilding, a complete reshaping of our worldview, a breaking free from the tame, constricted narratives that have boxed us in.
Sound wild? Neuroscience hints at it too: our brains evolved for connection, with other humans, nature, and ourselves, not division and hierarchy.
At BARDO Inclusive, we call this neuro-inclusion as a profound, whole-system awakening.
The Science Bit: From Primal Connection to Cultural Change
Akomolafe’s work aligns with neuroscience on how our nervous system craves safety in belonging — not sameness, but a wild, dynamic ecosystem of difference.
Our brains are wired for story and myth, deep narrative shapes how we think, feel, and include.
But modern culture often tames that narrative into rigid categories and “othering.”
Rewilding invites us to reimagine inclusion as a process of liberation: freeing the mind from inherited biases and opening the nervous system to new, more expansive possibilities.
It’s about breaking habits of thought at a primal level — activating curiosity, awe, and humility.
“Real inclusion is not about fixing what’s broken. It’s about unlearning what’s been tamed.” – Bayo Akomolafe
How Rewilding Supports the NIMM
Within the Neuro-Inclusive Maturity Model, this philosophy nurtures:
Neuroscience-Informed — embracing brain plasticity through new narratives
Mindset-Shifting — dissolving rigid mental models and hierarchies
Trust-Building — creating relational ecosystems, not just policies
Bayo’s approach challenges organisations to think beyond compliance and surface-level diversity.
It calls for courageous unlearning and a collective journey toward deeper connection with self, others, and the environment.
Real Inclusion Requires Radical Seeing
Rewilding is an invitation for leaders and teams to:
Notice and dismantle internalised biases and stories
Embrace complexity, ambiguity, and discomfort as fertile ground
Foster environments where difference is a source of strength, not threat
This is inclusion as a living, breathing ecosystem — messy, creative, and endlessly evolving.
Try This: A Rewilding Micro-Practice for Your Next Team Dialogue
Invite the team to share a story or metaphor about “home” or “belonging.”
Listen for themes that reveal hidden assumptions or boundaries.
Ask: “What stories are we telling that keep us safe? What stories might we need to let go?”
Create space for silence, reflection, and collective wonder.
Watch how this opens up new neural pathways of empathy and curiosity.
“Without the wilderness inside us, inclusion is just another cage.” – Inspired by Bayo Akomolafe
Want More Bayo? Start Here:
The Journey With No Maps – a poetic invitation to unlearning and transformation.
Rewilding the World (selected talks and essays) – exploring ecology, culture, and inclusion.
Interviews and podcasts where Bayo weaves stories with radical insight.
Reflect:
Where are you and your organisation still seeing inclusion as a problem to fix rather than a wild journey?
What new stories could you start telling today?
Next Up in the Series:
Episode 8: Be Here Now, But With Better Org Charts: What Ram Dass Teaches Us About Conscious Culture
Inclusion, presence, and awareness all start with one thing: attention. We revisit Ram Dass’ legacy through a neuroscience-informed lens—plus a few neuro-nudges for staying sane in your next leadership meeting.
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