“My Customers Taught Me Yoruba”: Iraqi Trader ‘Olakunle Oshodi’

An Iraqi-born trader at London’s Woolwich Market has become a sensation after learning to speak fluent Yoruba through daily interactions with his Nigerian customers.

Known now as “Olakunle Oshodi,” the trader says his customers taught him the language over three years, and speaking Yoruba has helped his business grow.

From Baghdad to Woolwich: A Journey of Connection

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ValidViewNetwork gathered that an Iraqi-born trader at London’s Woolwich Market has become a sensation after learning to speak passable- fluent Yoruba through daily interactions with his Nigerian customers.

The trader, who now goes by the name “Olakunle Oshodi,” stated that about 95 per cent of his customers are Yoruba.

“About 95 per cent of my customers are Yoruba. Whenever they came to buy things, they would speak Yoruba to me. Instead of just listening to them, I started asking questions whenever I heard words I did not understand. I would ask them what the words meant, and that was how I learnt little by little” .

Three Years of Learning

The trader, originally from Iraq, has been learning Yoruba for about three years. He said he picked up the language mainly through his customers and everyday conversations at the market.

“I can speak it because I really like the language, so it has not been that hard for me”. When asked how he got the name “Olakunle Oshodi,” he said a Nigerian customer gave it to him.

“She is a lovely person, and she is Yoruba. She said the name was good for me, and that was how I got the name ‘Olakunle Oshodi'”.

The Power of Connection

The trader said speaking Yoruba has helped his business grow.

“Yes, it has made the business grow. Speaking Yoruba has helped me connect with my customers better, and I believe that has been good for my business”.

He said customers are often shocked when they realise he can speak Yoruba.

“They are shocked, and they laugh. I see them happy, and I laugh with them. Sometimes, you can see that they did not expect a white man to speak Yoruba, so their reaction is usually one of surprise”.

A Lesson for Nigerian Youths

“Olakunle Oshodi’s” story is a powerful reminder that language is a bridge, not a barrier.

An Iraqi trader in London chose to learn Yoruba, not because he had to, but because he wanted to connect with his customers.

The same politicians who ignore the power of cultural exchange will never allow their own children to miss out on such opportunities. Their children are taught to embrace diversity.

For young Nigerians, the lesson is clear: your culture is your strength.

The Yoruba language is being celebrated in London, not by a Nigerian, but by an Iraqi who saw its beauty and chose to learn it.

The same leaders who neglect their own languages will never allow their children to forget where they come from.

Embrace your culture. Speak your language. And never forget that the world is richer when we learn from each other.