Nollywood star Toyin Abraham has opened up about why she cannot speak her native Edo language, despite being from Auchi, Edo State.
Speaking with TikToker Jarvis at the premiere of the movie Ginger, the actress and filmmaker explained that her deep connection to Yoruba culture began from childhood.
“I can’t speak Edo,” she admitted. “I was born and brought up in Yoruba land. And I married a Yoruba man. So I’m practically Yoruba. I can’t even speak Edo one bit. But there’s no Yoruba I can’t speak.”
Toyin, who was born to Edo parents in Etsako West Local Government Area, grew up in Ibadan, Oyo State, where she was immersed in Yoruba traditions and language.
She later attended Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, and Ibadan Polytechnic, before pursuing her career in Nollywood, where she has become one of the industry’s most recognizable faces.
Over the years, Toyin has starred in and produced numerous Yoruba-language films, further cementing her cultural identity within the Yoruba entertainment space.
Her comments have sparked light-hearted conversations online about cultural identity and language preservation among Nigerians raised outside their ethnic regions.
About the Author
