South African comedian Trevor Noah effectively trolled Americans during Sunday’s Oscars.

Before presenting Black Panther’s Best Picture nomination, he told the star-studded audience: “Growing up as a young boy in Wakanda, I would see T’Challa flying over our village, and he would remind me of a great Xhosa phrase.

“He says, ‘abelungu abazi ubu ndiyaxoka’, which means ‘In times like these, we are stronger when we fight together than when we try to fight apart.'”

The real translation of his straight-faced remark, from isiXhosa to English, is: “White people don’t know I’m lying.”

Watch: Trevor Noah introduces Black Panther at the Oscars

Noah, who was born in Johannesburg and has forged a successful career in the United States, also poked fun at actor Mel Gibson, who was criticised for a racist rant several years ago.

“Even backstage, Mel Gibson came up to me like, “Wakanda Forever”. He said another word after that, but the Wakanda part was nice,” quipped Noah.

Black Panther didn’t win the Best Picture award, which instead went to Green Book. Other nominations for the category were A Star Is Born, BlacKkKlansman, Roma, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite and Vice.