Yoruba Club 21, a Columbus-based socio-cultural group for people of Yoruba descent from Nigeria, has donated $15,000 to the Owomoyela Yoruba Studies Fund at The Ohio State University. The fund was established in honor of Professor Oyekan Owomoyela, a noted Yoruba studies scholar and philanthropist. 

Ohio State’s Center for African Studies administers the funds, which will be used to promote faculty and student research in Western Nigeria and in other parts of West Africa; enhance the center’s library collection; organize seminars, conferences and symposia on issues of Yoruba language and culture; fund travel to and from the region to conduct research; create a student and faculty exchange program; and develop a certificate and degree program with an emphasis on Yoruba studies. The donation from Yoruba Club 21 supports the endowment and represents community interest not only for Yoruba studies, but African studies at Ohio State. The Center for African Studies plans to begin implementing Yoruba Studies programming spring semester.