Draft:Israel Ayanwuyi

Israel Ayanwuyi is a folk writer and researcher, cultural storyteller, documentary filmmaker, founder and lead creator of AIF YORUBA CULTURAL CENTRE (formally known as AIF MEDIA), known for his book on Yoruba culture, Esu is Not Satan Exploring the Indigeneous Yoruba Worldview.

Early life
Israel Ayanwuyi was born and raised in Ogbomoso with knowledge of Yorùbá culture, spirituality and indigenous practices. From his research experience and cultural background through his grandmother, Jadesola Ayanwuyi, whom he lived with for almost two decades, he developed a deep passion, generally for the true African cultural identity that is submerged underneath lies, dispelling misconceptions surrounding Yorùbá culture and rectifying errors in Yorùbá proverbs and spoken expressions (Àṣìpa Òwe àti Ìpèdè) in this contemporary time.

Work
Some of his documentaries, including the Space-Sitting Prowess of Egungun Ajomogbodo (2022), have been screened at the International Folklore Film Festival, India; Afro-China Arts and Folklore Festival under International Forum for Arts of the Gifted, Egypt; amongst others, and his works are used for African and Yorùbá studies around the world. In 2017, he founded AIF MEDIA (popularly known as AIF YORUBA CULTURAL CENTRE) with mandate to tune lives with tongue and culture using African stories. The brand was reintroduced in August 2020, and since then have been producing documentaries and educational videos for posterity. In December 2021, aifacademy.org was launched for Yorùbá culture and language learning and localization. In August 2023, he released his first book, 'Èṣù is Not Satan: Exploring the Indigenous Yorùbá Worldview.'

Book
Èṣù is Not Satan: Exploring the Indigenous Yorùbá Worldview, 2023

Music
In 2019, he released his debut, Òwe (literally proverb), an historical song on Baṣọ̀run Gáà of the Old Ọ̀yọ́ Empire, and later in 2021, he released another folksong titled Àṣìkò Láyé coiled from Ìroṣùn Méjì (Ifá) corpus.

Reference
1. Adesokan, Kayode (2023). Egungun Ajomogbodo: Documentary of Africa's Power at its Peak Retrieved 31-01-2024

2. Olaitan, Minkail (2023). Connecting Yoruba to Their Cultural Heritage: Accolades to AIF MEDIA. Retrieved from Akatunka/

3. Olusanjo, Margaret (September 16, 2023). Celebrating AIF YORUBA CULTURAL CENTRE at 3. Retrieved from PanNigerian News