Yorùbá language etymologist and popular show host, Olalekan Fabilola, known for the cultural programme Masoyinbo, has opened up about the long journey behind his success and the struggles he faced along the way.
In a recent appearance on actress Biola Bayo’s YouTube show, Talk to B, Fabilola revealed that the idea for Masoyinbo was first conceived as far back as 2007/2008, even though the show only gained widespread attention in 2024.
Speaking honestly about his early years, especially as a married man with limited resources, Fabilola disclosed that he encountered severe financial hardship. He recounted a point in his life when he was chased out of his home due to debt and had no money to support his family. His earnings from teaching Yoruba were barely enough to survive.
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The Masoyinbo host also shared how much effort he invested in mastering and teaching the Yoruba language. According to him, he once taught Yoruba for 20 hours every day for four years, sleeping only four hours daily just to make ends meet.
He described a unique experience in his learning process:
“While I sleep, I search for the meanings of some Yoruba words in my dreams. Unconsciously, I say them out loud, and my wife writes them down for me to review when I wake up.”
Fabilola further revealed personal details about his family background, explaining that he inherited around 110 clothes after his father’s death. His father, he noted, had 20 children. He also mentioned that he studied Computer Science at Covenant University.
“I’ve seen the lowest life of not having money, I was chased out of my house because I couldn’t pay and was in debt because of Yoruba”- Masoyinbo pic.twitter.com/EOlie2PS3a
— Nollywood Citadel (@Nolly_Citadel) December 5, 2025