Please help us in welcoming Olanipekun Oluwatoyin to the African Studies Center and DAAS community at U-M. Professor Toyin will teach the Yoruba classes on campus this year (AAS 125.001: Yoruba (African Languages)).  She is from Nigeria, where she recently completed her Masters in Education/English at Obafemi Awolowo University. She currently teaches English and works as a field officer doing program evaluations for different programs.

What’s your favorite thing about Ann Arbor/campus so far?
The University of Michigan is a very big school. I love the way the school is integrated in the community. Nigerian tertiary institutions are fenced whether private or public. Ann Arbor is a serene place and the structures are magnificent. It’s kind of unique, the architecture and design.

What do you hope to accomplish in AAS 125?
I hope that more students, at the end of my stay, get interested in Yoruba and that the students enrolled know the importance of what they learned. I hope they will be able to use it effectively. they should be able to express themselves well with the language within the time frame. People do not know the importance of Yoruba in learning and connecting to Africa.

What made you want to become a teacher/professor?
A teacher influences. A teacher can be the greatest person by shaping the way people think. I wanted to be a teacher to influence others in certain areas due to others who influenced me.

Would You Rather Have A Rewind Button Or A Pause Button On Your Life?
I want to be in the present. I don’t want to go back. Live life while it counts.

Would You Rather Be Without Internet For A Week, Or Without Your Phone?
I can stay without the internet if I have the phone. I can adapt.

What’s something that a lot of people are missing out on because they don’t know about it?
People may not know that Yoruba is actually important. When you want to connect to Africa, Yoruba is very important in learning about Africa. You learn about what happens in Nigeria and other places Yoruba has influence like Cuba and Trinidad. The beautiful culture, the history of Yoruba, I want them to know it.