Tamkara Adun and her community are reshaping the way African history and languages are taught

Learn how the creator Tamkara Adun built an engaged learning community and educational product line that teaches decolonized African language and history.

After Tamkara and her husband along with her young kids relocated from Nigeria to the Netherlands the world changed. They were immersed in the culture of another country, Tamkara left her career in HR as well as her kids began attending a new primary school.

Tamkara was concerned that with the new school curriculum, her children were learning history from the European viewpoint that didn't include the stories of Africa's cultures, and achievements.

She says "They learned a little about African culture However, this was that was told through a colonized narrative that didn't talk about the incredible ancestors of their people. I didn't want them to become so swallowed up by other's stories that they forget their own. I would like them to have a broad understanding yet also comprehend their African heritage in a way which was authentic and true to them."

In a bid to bridge this space, Tamkara decided she would learn them by herself. She began reading important African writers, chatting with relatives, and digging into the internet's archives. "As I started teaching them, I realized there was much I didn't know," she remembers. "In my process of teaching the students, I was in the process of educating myself."

Tamkara was aware that if she and her family required this information, others might as well.

"It was a long and difficult journey for me, and once I began, I realized there was no turning back. The more you know that you know, the more there is a lot you do not know. I'm always learning and taking in this fresh information. However, I also wanted to share. Learning is a gift. It is not something you should keep to yourself."

This notion prompted Tamkara to create an online company called Odunife  that translates to "Year of Love" in Yoruba, and cultivate a community centered on reciprocity. Some were excited to revisit history with the African lens. The more she taught to her community, the more she was able to teach her.

Their questions and contributions as well as her work resulted in education courses as well as ebooks a children's book , a language school  and one-on-one coaching programs that broaden the global knowledge of African historical events.

Building a collaborative community of learning

Community is at the center and soul of Tamkara's venture, and it all started with a simple Twitter account . It was her desire to keep a record of the things she was learning even if it was only glanced at by a small group of followers. "It was as if it was an echo" she recalls. "I had put my information out, and there was no response."

Then, slowly, Tamkara began to connect with people who are interested in African historical events in a non-colonial, Africa-centered perspective. The more information Tamkara published and shared, the more people reacted, reposted, and tagged their friends. Followers also started volunteering their own knowledge and experiences to create a mutual learning space.

"It's a two-way street that I'm sharing and I'm in the process of learning."

"I post something  that I want to share, and the people who read the comments can expand upon the concept," she explains. "It's a community of learning that helps us gain a better knowledge about the past and what happened that happened in the past."

Tamkara has gained traction by connecting with creators in her niche, guest posting and leading with passion.

Then, Tamkara contacted thought leaders she liked via comments or direct messages. She told them their posts were a hit with her, and she reshared their content to amplify their voices. She would frequently visit her page and follow her in a spirit of reciprocity.

Finally, audience members noticed that she was genuinely committed to her work. "People are able to tell that you are passionate about your work. This builds trust and loyalty. My focus was on creating good material that people would naturally want to share and put my name in front of more individuals," she explains.

Within two years, her followers grew from 50 followers to over 24,000 followers.

Tamkara's followers have been the backbone of her endeavors all the way. Together Tamkara and her fans have created a positive feedback loop that allows all members to can learn and share their knowledge with each others. With so much knowledge circulating, Tamkara knew it was time to go bigger and develop her own product.

Fill the gap with community-led solutions

"I always take note of people. Most of the time especially on Instagram users will say what they're looking for. If the item you and I are both searching for doesn't exist, I feel compelled to come up with an service."

Also, she wrote a children's book titled Osasu as well as the Great Wall of the Benin Empire . The book was about African creativity she wanted her children to remember as well as she was aware that other communities would be interested in a book about African culture.

"It's great to appreciate other histories that belong to other parts of the world However, African kids must have a grasp of their past as well. It helps build self-esteem and confidence in oneself," she elaborates. "I think every historical event, story, should be on the screen."

The school for language was next.

"Many individuals have stated that they would like to study African languages, particularly our brothers and sisters living in diaspora, whose grandparents were removed in the African Maafa and had their language stripped away."

Her first venture was to lead free group language sessions in order to teach her mother tongue in a relaxed learning environment. "Anyone could join on Zoom and join in. It was fun. There was laughter. I could see that there was a gap and some interest."

So Tamkara got in touch with instructors of language across Africa for the purpose of creating an online school for language .

When the audience members approached her and asked questions that required complex responses, Tamkara created a 1:1 coaching service.

"A majority of my readers send me questions. I would love to make time to respond to all of them. However, others require more effort thinking, energy, and research. Coaching packages allow us to talk about the whole issue."

Through her work with the communityof supporters, Tamkara constantly identifies the needs of her community and fulfills them by providing products that share information, love, and joy.

: A versatile platform for multi-passionate entrepreneurs

With multiple passions and a never-ending list of ideas, Tamkara needed a place for her creative work. That led her to .

"I wanted an opportunity that offered my versatility," Tamkara reflects. "I awake each day with so many ideas in my head. I wanted a platform that would allow me to have all my ideas in one spot."

"Having an experienced team member whenever I have technical problems takes away the stress and pressure of trying to solve everything on my own. I'm grateful that they have not only just supported me but partnered in building my company," she shares.

"I'm very communicative and I love the variety of touch points to talk to my people. If I'm online I can talk to them immediately. If I'm not online, I'll get an email notification so I'll be able to contact them. You can also broadcast messages to my entire viewers or to a group of people interested in one of my services. It's been a game changer."

In essence, creatives require devices that allow them to do the best work. Like Tamkara puts it, " eliminates the technical stress and gives me space to concentrate on my artistic endeavors, which is what I excel at. There's someone there to help and assist me. That is priceless."

Tamkara's suggestion: Find support and chase your dreams

In the process of building Odunife, Tamkara learned how important it is to have a support system and take bold leaps. Tamkara advises others to do the same.

Concentrate on your strengths, and don't do by yourself

There is a common practice for business owners to have a variety of hats on, but Tamkara reminds creators that there is no way to accomplish it all on their own. "You can't do everything," Tamkara emphasizes. "Figure out what you do best , and then put your effort into it. If you are in areas where you're not so proficient seek out help from others who can assist you."

Don't put off things until they become perfectly

Are you looking for something to communicate your thoughts with others? Tamkara suggests taking the plunge and learning on the way.

"Don't expect everything to be perfect, because they'll never be perfect," Tamkara says.

"The journey of learning is done. If you've got an idea, go for it. There's no way to know what might emerge from it. The original concept will evolve over time, and you'll make several iterations as you go along. But if you wait to be perfect, you'll probably not even begin."

You'll discover what you want to accomplish and discover ways to achieve it by getting started.

"We are taught to cut down trees by cutting them." -"African Proverb

Everything Tamkara knows about being creative was learned through her work. It's a bit daunting beginning from the ground up, but nothing will happen until you've taken your first steps .

"A lot of people didn't recognize my vision, however I had that deep belief that this was something I have to do. More often than not the intuition of our minds can tell us things we may not have a physical sense of. If your mind is saying to you that you should perform something, and your soul is nudging you towards something, explore that idea and follow that path."

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