Toyin Akanni — The Scientist Who Found Her Way Back to Storytelling

In every life, there comes a moment when passion calls us home. For Toyin Akanni, that moment arrived when bedtime stories with her children rekindled a spark she had once set aside — the art of storytelling.

Today, Toyin is celebrated as an author, educator, and environmental advocate, whose life beautifully bridges two worlds: the precision of science and the imagination of story. Her journey from an environmental scientist to an acclaimed children’s author is not just a career transition — it is a story of rediscovering purpose, faith, and joy.

As a child growing up in Nigeria, Toyin’s earliest memories are painted with the glow of a kerosene lamp. “There would often be power cuts,” she recalls fondly, “and my grandmother would fill the darkness with stories — stories about courage, kindness, and the magic of life itself.” Those moments ignited her love for words, characters, and worlds beyond the ordinary.

But like many young dreamers, Toyin’s path took a practical turn. Encouraged by her parents to pursue a stable career, she studied Geology and later earned a Master’s degree in Environmental Science, driven by the dream of working in the oil and gas sector. “For many working-class Nigerian families,” she says, “a degree from the UK is seen as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

For years, Toyin built a solid career as an environmental scientist. She worked across research and education, exploring sustainability and the complex relationship between people and planet. Her analytical mind flourished, but her creative heart never stopped whispering stories.

It wasn’t until she became a mother that those whispers turned into a calling. Reading bedtime tales to her children transported her back to those nights of wonder — and she realized that stories could become her way of teaching, healing, and inspiring once again.

During the pandemic, while the world slowed down, Toyin seized the moment to return to her first love. She applied to the University of Cambridge to study Creative Writing — a decision that would change her life forever. There, she began weaving the worlds of science and imagination into one voice, one purpose.

That purpose came alive in her now-celebrated Barki series, a collection of beautifully illustrated children’s books that blend adventure, empathy, and environmental awareness. Each story follows Barki, a brave little beaver who faces challenges with courage and kindness — teaching children to protect nature and care for one another.

In Barki the Brave, Barki stands up to a hunter to save his best friend. In Barki and the Forest Fire, he races to protect his rainforest home, a book that was launched at the Emirates Literature Festival in 2024, where Toyin was featured as one of the authors at the festival’s Launchpad. Her third title, Barki and the Lost Penguin, takes young readers to Antarctica, exploring the effects of climate change and melting ice caps through the story of friendship and hope.

Her stories are poetic and powerful — not just because they entertain, but because they enlighten. Drawing on her background as an environmental scientist, Toyin turns complex issues like deforestation, pollution, and climate change into tales that children can understand, feel, and act upon. “Storytelling,” she says, “is the bridge between knowledge and empathy.”

Toyin’s journey is a living example of that bridge. Beyond writing, she conducts sustainability workshops across UAE schools and organizations, guiding students to live consciously and make eco-friendly choices. Her sessions, titled “Sustainability Superstars: Caring for Our Planet!”, use creativity, discussion, and interactive learning to help students become environmental stewards.

Through these workshops, children learn to measure their carbon footprint, sort recyclable items, design eco-posters, and create personal sustainability plans. “Education should not just inform,” Toyin explains, “it should inspire action.”

Her impact on education and sustainability has made her a respected voice across the UAE’s creative and academic circles. She is an active member of the UAE Authors Group and the Ras Al Khaimah Creative Writers Group, and her talent in screenwriting was recognized when she earned a place in the RAK ART Screenwriter Workshop with Scandar Qubti, organized by the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation.

Toyin holds both a Master’s in Environmental Science and a Creative Writing qualification from Cambridge, blending scientific insight with the magic of storytelling. Her life proves that creativity and science are not opposites — they are partners in understanding and healing the world.

Beyond her achievements, Toyin’s story also carries deep gratitude. Having made the UAE her home, she often speaks of the generosity and kindness the country has shown her family, especially during a difficult chapter when her son underwent a transplant. “The care and support we received in the UAE,” she says with quiet emotion, “reminded me that compassion still defines humanity.”

Now, as she launches her third book, “The Storytelling Scientist,” Toyin’s message to the world remains simple but profound: embrace your roots, honor your gifts, and use them to make the world a kinder place. “You have to be adaptable and chase your dreams with faith,” she says. “Like a river, life is always moving, and you have to flow with it. Hold on to the essence of who you are and adapt along the way.”

Her story reminds us that it is never too late to return to what sets your soul alight. For Toyin Akanni, that light has always been storytelling — and through her words, generations to come will learn not only how to dream but also how to care for the world they live in.

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