The Atlantic Ocean has long carried both separation and connection. For centuries, millions of Africans were forced across its waters to Brazil, where Yoruba language, spirituality, and culture took root and reshaped the nation’s identity. Yet in modern times, an unexpected silence grew between Nigeria and Brazil—not of distance or history, but of language. Nigerians in Brazil often struggled with Portuguese, while Brazilians found English difficult to navigate. Stories, communities, and cultural exchanges remained largely unheard.
Into this silence stepped Adeyinka Olaiya—a Nigerian-born journalist, artist, and cultural theorist who has spent over 36 years in journalism and more than three decades living in Brazil. From his early fight against dictatorship in Nigeria to his creation of The Ancestral News, the first online platform dedicated to Afro-Atlantic dialogue, Olaiya has made it his mission to give voice to those left unheard and to build bridges across languages, cultures, and histories.
In this exclusive interview with NewsmakersNG’s Segun Atanda, he reflects on his early days in Nigerian journalism, the challenges of exile and reinvention, and his vision for the future of Afro-diasporic storytelling.
Q: Let’s begin with your early life. Where did your journey in arts and journalism start?
Adeyinka Olaiya:
My journey began in Ibadan, where I studied Creative Arts at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. That foundation shaped my eye for aesthetics, storytelling, and cultural identity. Later, I went on to study Fine Arts at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, a place where Yoruba heritage is deeply alive.
While I trained as a visual artist, I was drawn to journalism because it allowed me to combine creativity with social responsibility. Art gave me expression, but journalism gave me a voice to challenge authority and to stand for truth.
Q: You entered journalism in 1989, during one of Nigeria’s most turbulent eras. What defined those years for you?
Olaiya:
It was a time of dictatorship, first under General Ibrahim Babangida and later General Sani Abacha. The press was under siege. Many journalists went underground, some were jailed, and others fled into exile.
I began at Hints Magazine as an Assistant Design Executive, then became an illustrator and cartoonist. That was the age of manual journalism—everything was laid out by hand. It was tough but it trained us in discipline and creativity.
At Classic Magazine, I worked alongside future media giants like Dele Momodu, Kayode Ajala, Dotun Olukoya, Segun Alawaye, and many others. Though I was younger, I soaked up wisdom from them. My boss, Dr. Ibe Kachukwu, would always say, “Son, you’ll be a great journalist. Work on.” Those words stayed with me through the darkest days.
Q: How did your transition from Nigeria to Brazil shape your vision as a journalist?
Olaiya:
Arriving in Brazil was like entering another world. Here was a country with deep African roots, yet Nigerians and Brazilians were hardly in conversation. The language barrier was the biggest obstacle. Nigerians struggled with Portuguese, and Brazilians with English.
This gap created isolation. Nigerians didn’t always know what was happening in Brazil beyond their immediate circles, and Brazilians rarely heard the voices of Africans living among them. It struck me that silence could be as damaging as oppression—it erases presence.
That realization became my mission: to break the silence with words, to connect both shores of the Atlantic through journalism.
Q: Was that the inspiration behind The Ancestral News?
Olaiya:
Exactly. I founded The Ancestral News to be the first online platform bridging Nigeria, Brazil, and the wider African diaspora. It’s not just a news outlet—it is a cultural bridge and an archive of memory.
We report on diplomacy, migration, Yoruba spirituality, Afro-Brazilian identity, and the lives of Nigerians in Brazil. We make sure Brazilians understand their African heritage and Nigerians see their reflection in Brazil.
Q: Beyond journalism, you are also an artist, academic, and cultural theorist. How do these dimensions intersect in your work?
Olaiya:
For me, they are inseparable. My art is rooted in Yoruba cosmology, Ifá philosophy, and African resilience. Journalism, on the other hand, documents the lived reality of those cosmologies in today’s world.
Being an academic helps me anchor my work historically and critically. When I write, I don’t just report facts—I connect them to deeper currents of culture, history, and identity. That’s why I often say my journalism is not just reporting, it is also cultural resistance.
Q: After more than 36 years in journalism, what achievements stand out to you?
Olaiya:
Several moments stay with me. Standing up to dictatorship in Nigeria—that defined my generation. Establishing myself as a Nigerian journalist in Brazil—that was another milestone.
But my greatest pride is creating a voice where silence once existed. With The Ancestral News, Nigerians in Brazil now have representation, and Brazilians gain clearer access to their African roots. That bridge—made of words and truth—is the achievement that fulfills me most.
Q: What do you see as the future of journalism in the Afro-Atlantic world?
Olaiya:
The future is digital, interactive, and global. That is why The Ancestral News is evolving into a multimedia platform. We are working on podcasts, documentaries, and collaborations with universities.
But more importantly, the future must be Afro-centric. We must tell our own stories, not wait for outsiders to define us. Our journalism must reclaim memory, confront colonial legacies, and empower the next generation.
Q: And your personal future—what do you hope to accomplish in the coming years?
Olaiya:
I want to continue merging art, journalism, and academia. My vision is to leave behind a legacy where Afro-Atlantic history is well documented, visually represented, and intellectually debated.
On a personal level, I also want to mentor younger journalists and artists—because the struggle for visibility and truth is ongoing. I see my role as opening doors and making sure others walk through them.
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Q: Beyond journalism, you are also a practicing artist. How has your art career evolved in the diaspora?
Olaiya:
My art career has always moved alongside my journalism. Living in Brazil and traveling across Europe and Africa has given me spaces to exhibit and to share the spiritual essence of my work. I see myself as a moving shrine—my paintings are not just visual objects, they carry energy, memory, and prayer. Each piece is a vessel of Yoruba spirituality.
Q: You mentioned exhibiting across continents. Can you share more about those experiences?
Olaiya:
Yes, I’ve had exhibitions in Brazil, Europe, and Africa. Each place responds differently. In Brazil, people often connect through Candomblé and Afro-Brazilian traditions; in Europe, the academic and artistic community is curious about the depth of Yoruba philosophy; and in Africa, especially Nigeria, the art speaks directly to identity and memory. Wherever I show, I try to present art as more than decoration—it is heritage, it is continuity.
Q: You once described yourself as part of a generation shaped by the Ifẹ̀ Art School. How did that influence your work?
Olaiya:
That influence is everything. I studied at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, which is the heart of Yoruba aesthetics. The Ifẹ̀ Art School teaches us that art is identity. We don’t separate aesthetics from spirituality. Òrìṣà art is not something I began yesterday—it is the living tradition of our people. My professors, my colleagues, and the environment of Ife all reinforced that our brushes, our sculptures, our lines carry the voice of the ancestors. That has stayed with me wherever I go.
Q: Would you say your art is religious or cultural?
Olaiya:
It is both, but more than that—it is spiritual. My paintings are rooted in Yoruba cosmology. They reflect Àyànmọ́, Kádàrá, Òrìṣà, and Ifá philosophy. At the same time, they are cultural archives—they preserve memory, tell stories, and teach younger generations. So, it’s not only about worship, but also about identity, knowledge, and resistance.
Q: Do you see a link between your journalism and your art?
Olaiya:
Absolutely. Both are storytelling. Journalism uses words, while art uses colors, textures, and forms. Both seek truth and preserve heritage. In fact, my exhibitions often attract people who later follow The Ancestral News, because they see the same mission in two forms: to bridge worlds and give voice to Yoruba identity.
Q: Finally, after three decades in Brazil, how do you see your role as a Nigerian in the diaspora?
Olaiya:
I see myself as a bridge. My life proves that even when oceans divide us, language, culture, and heritage can reconnect us.
Through journalism, I amplify Nigerian voices in Brazil. Through art, I preserve Yoruba cosmology in a foreign land. And through community work, I honor the struggles of Afro-Brazilians who kept our traditions alive.
If, at the end of my journey, people can say Adeyinka Olaiya helped connect Nigeria and Brazil in the 21st century, then my years in journalism and art have been worth it.
Kudos to Mr Adéyínká Ọláìyá May olodumare be with you and irunmole🙏