On April 22, 2025, the Yoruba Wikimedians User Group hosted the second edition of its annual storytelling event at the J.Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History in Lagos. The gathering was held to mark World Creativity and Innovation Day, with a focus on the role of oral storytelling in preserving culture and local knowledge.

The event was organized in collaboration with the J.Randle Centre, a public facility dedicated to Yoruba cultural heritage. Participants included storytellers, community members, and cultural workers from across southwestern Nigeria, coming together to reflect on the past through spoken word.

This year’s event built on the first edition held in 2024 at the Tunde Odunlade Arts Gallery in Ibadan. As with the previous event, the goal was to give room for stories often left out of formal historical records, particularly those rooted in Yoruba oral traditions.

In the weeks leading up to the event, the organizers put out a call for storytellers. They received 72 applications, from which 15 were shortlisted by a review committee. Thirteen storytellers confirmed their participation and were featured on social media in the lead-up to the event. They came from various backgrounds and states, including Ogun, Oyo, and Osun.

Altogether, 72 people attended the Lagos event. A total of 15 stories were told and recorded, ranging from folktales and family histories to reflections on community and change.

To ensure a range of perspectives, the lineup included six women among the thirteen storytellers. Those who took part included Yusuf Àlàbí Balógun (Àrẹ̀mọ Gemini), Olamide Kayode, Ipoade Fathia, Adegbola Ayodeji Damilola, Oladimeji Adelodun Abayomi, Adeola Awodire Glorious, Yusuf Bọ́láńlé (also known as Bolanle Oni Story), Adedoyin Faleti-Falode, Adémólá Ayòmídé.O., Irawo Oluwakemi Famugbode (DJ Irawo), Ayo Odeleye, and Waheed Olamilekan (Orolabi).

One of the more memorable performances came from Ayo Odeleye, a Nigerian photographer who used nine photographs to tell his story, blending images with spoken word in a personal and visual presentation.

As with last year’s edition, the stories were documented and recorded and would be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons for use on relevant Wikipedia articles. Each storyteller received a framed photo in appreciation of their contributions to promoting Yoruba oral traditions.

Though modest in size, the event reflects a growing interest in informal spaces for cultural and digital preservation of rare knowledge, efforts that continue to evolve in Nigeria and across Africa.