Celebrating Creativity and Oral Traditions: Yoruba Wikimedians User Group Host 2nd Annual Storytelling Event

On April 22, 2025, to mark World Creativity and Innovation Day, the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group held the second edition of its annual storytelling event, a vibrant celebration of culture, creativity, and community memory. This year’s event was organized in collaboration with the J.Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, a contemporary heritage hub located in Lagos, Nigeria.

Building on the success of the first edition, which was hosted in partnership with the Tunde Odunlade Arts Gallery in Ibadan (Oyo State), this year’s program expanded both in scale and impact. The J.Randle Centre, renowned for its dedication to preserving and advancing Yorùbá culture and history, proved to be an ideal setting for this gathering of tradition and innovation.

Storytellers and selections

In the lead-up to the event, the User Group issued a two-week call for storytellers, which attracted a total of 72 applications from across Nigeria. An ad-hoc committee reviewed the submissions and selected 15 storytellers, out of which 13 confirmed their participation. These selected storytellers were onboarded and promoted on our social media channels as well as those of the J.Randle Centre, helping to build excitement and broaden awareness of the event.

The event

The storytelling event brought together 72 participants, including the 13 storytellers, volunteers, and members of the local community. A total of 15 stories were told and recorded, contributing to the broader Wikimedia movement’s mission to document and preserve local knowledge in oral and multimedia formats.

The stories captured spanned traditional folklore, family histories, societal values, and personal reflections — each narrative echoing the richness of Yorùbá oral tradition and the value of community storytelling in sustaining cultural identity.

Honoring participation

To appreciate their contributions, all participating storytellers received a commemorative glass photo frame and a modest honorarium to offset transportation costs, especially for those who traveled from neighboring states like Ogun, Oyo, and Osun. This small gesture ensured that the event remained accessible and inclusive, upholding our community values of equity and respect.

Looking ahead

This storytelling initiative continues to be a key project for Wikimedians User Group Nigeria, serving not only to preserve oral knowledge but also to encourage creative expression and participation from underrepresented communities. Through partnerships like the one with the J.Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, we remain committed to ensuring that indigenous voices are heard, valued, and shared across Wikimedia platforms.

We thank all our participants, storytellers, and partners for making this year’s event a success — and we look forward to continuing this important work in future editions.