Wuraola Fisayo Oyewusi is bridging the gap in tech accessibility by teaching data science in Yoruba, demonstrating that African languages have a place in the digital age. Language is more than just a tool for communication—it shapes our identities, connects us to our histories, and anchors us in our cultures. It creates opportunities, builds communities, and sometimes forges new paths where none previously existed.
Take Ayo, a young girl deeply immersed in the knowledge of her community. She is literate, understands the intricacies of trade, and has a natural talent for numbers—an ability she has refined by assisting her mother with their family business. She memorizes prices, tracks sales, and can even predict their weekly profits. Yet, Ayo senses that numbers hold more than just financial transactions; they reveal patterns, tell stories, and unlock new possibilities—perhaps even solving larger problems with greater numbers.
What Ayo doesn’t yet realize is that there is an entire field dedicated to the logic and patterns she finds so captivating—data science. And somewhere, someone is making it accessible in the language she understands best: Yoruba.
Wuraola Oyewusi, a data scientist and technical instructor, is breaking new ground by teaching data science in Yoruba. Through her YouTube channel, Tech in Yoruba, she simplifies complex tech concepts, presenting them in a way that is both accessible and relatable in her native language.
Her tutorial videos always begin with a warm, familiar greeting:
“Ẹ n lẹ̀ bẹ̀ o, orúkọ mi ni Wuraola. Lónìí, mo máa ṣàlàyé ní ránpẹ́ nípa ìmọ̀ sàyẹ́nsì data…”
Which roughly translates to:
“Greetings to you all, my name is Wuraola Oyewusi. Today, I will briefly explain data science.”
Her audience is diverse. Some are older individuals curious about the technology they interact with daily. Others, like Ayo, are young learners who may not be fluent in English but are eager to explore the world of tech. There are also those who tune in simply out of love for the Yoruba language. Many come to realize that if a concept can be explained in their language, then it is something worth understanding.
“So, while English remains dominant, there’s a growing and varied audience for Yoruba tech content,” Wuraola notes.
Yoruba, like many African languages, is deeply expressive and rich in tonal variations, where a single word can have multiple meanings depending on its intonation. This complexity makes it even more challenging to explain modern tech concepts. Imagine trying to introduce terms like algorithm, quantum computing, or blockchain to someone like Ayo, who is just beginning her journey into data science—without direct translations for these terms, the task requires creativity and innovation.
For Wuraola, that challenge is part of the thrill.
“This was one of the most fascinating aspects of the project—where my expertise as both an AI researcher and a native Yoruba speaker truly came together,” she explains. “I’ve had to invent and adapt new terms for AI and tech concepts in Yoruba. And, in the spirit of true scientific inquiry, I documented it all in a paper on AI literacy in low-resource languages.”
Listening to her, I’m reminded of a moment on Valentine’s Day when a friend wished me, ‘Àkù ayẹyẹ ọjọ́ àwọn olólùfẹ́.’The words carried a richness and depth that felt far more profound than simply saying, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Isn’t that the beauty of language? The way it transforms something universal into something deeply personal?
Sometimes, extraordinary things don’t begin with a grand plan or purpose. What, then, led Wuraola to start teaching science in Yoruba?
“It would be more exciting to say there was a big strategy behind it, but honestly, it was just something I did on a whim that took off,” she admits. “I work in AI, I speak a lot of Yoruba, and one day, I decided to make a video explaining AI in Yoruba. To my surprise, people everywhere started watching it—especially on LinkedIn.”
With approximately 8,324 languages spoken globally, many are at risk of disappearing due to globalization and societal shifts. Wuraola believes that languages unable to adapt and expand their vocabulary risk fading into obscurity. That’s why, she suggests, it’s up to all of us to create and use new words in our native languages—whether in academic discussions or everyday online conversations.
“Some of the most valuable data used to train AI comes from online sources. If a language is absent from these datasets, it’s as if it doesn’t exist in the digital world.”
“The people best equipped to curate this data are native speakers with technical expertise. The best part? Anyone interested can contribute—whether through social media videos, casual conversations, or even written commentary.”
With around 47 videos on her YouTube channel, Wuraola covers everything from introductory data science to tutorials on AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. She also explores tech career paths, ensuring there’s something for everyone curious about technology.
Beyond building a scientific framework, the most fulfilling part of her work is seeing others embrace their native languages in digital spaces. Her analytics reveal that her videos have been viewed in over 22 countries—proof that linguistic inclusion in tech resonates far beyond her immediate community.
Her efforts are inspiring others to create tech content in their own languages, helping preserve them in the digital age. Because, as Wuraola emphasizes, if a language isn’t represented online, it risks fading from the digital world entirely.
As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day, this year’s theme—Languages Matter!—reinforces the role of linguistic diversity in promoting dignity, peace, and understanding. Language is more than just a tool for communication; it shapes identity, preserves cultural heritage, and ensures that knowledge remains accessible to all, regardless of the language they speak.
And if Wuraola’s work proves anything, it’s this: Yoruba—and every other language—belongs in the digital world.
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