I have a passionate interest in education, inclusion, equality, social justice, and giving back to the community. For the past few decades, I have been channelling my passion for folklore and storytelling into a platform to champion culture.

I was always fascinated by Folk tales and enjoyed a good bedtime story. As a child, I had a vivid imagination. I loved reading, writing and often had my nose in a book. I spent most of my pocket money buying Enid Blyton books. I have a few of my childhood favourites, about the Magic Faraway Tree and Brer Rabbit on my bookshelf today!

Curiously, in my research, I discovered that Enid Blyton’s Brer Rabbit is based on the Uncle Remus stories by Joel Chandler Harris. These popular stories were based on African trickster stories told by the enslaved African people that Harris interviewed, such as Anansi the spider and Ijapa the tortoise! What a full circle moment!

Growing up I wanted to be an actress or a journalist. My love of story was actualised when I studied my first degree in  English Language at Obafemi Awolowo University, formerly, the University of Ife, Nigeria. Later I ended up studying law and being called to the Bar of England and Wales by the Inner Temple.

While employed by Zurich Insurance (UK), as a lawyer, I engaged in several initiatives, including establishing and coordinating a lunchtime reading scheme at a local primary school in Tower Hamlets and establishing Zurich UK’s first multicultural employee resource group. I became a self-publisher in 2005.

I am married with two adult sons. I have a wonderful sense of adventure and enjoy travelling, trekking, birdwatching, volunteering, author visits to schools and libraries, reading, and writing.

I am the author of several children’s books and have two imprints: Amlap Publishing and Ijapa Books.