Her Royal Highness Princess Ayo,

Renowned Storyteller.

Her sessions give a rare, authentic and insightful peek into African life and culture. She was born Carroll Ayo Durodola in New York City to a Nigerian prince and her African American mother. Her paternal grandfather, Aina Owojaiye was the Oba (King) of Egbe, now a flourishing Yoruba town in the “The Giant of Africa” – Nigeria! 

Her Royal Highness Princess Ayo moved with her family to Nigeria when she was seven years old because her father, a medical doctor, who even though he attended schools in Germany and the US, wanted to practice medicine among his own people. Ayo has been writing since she was 13. In Nigeria, Ayo grew up on the campus of the University of Ibadan.  Her mother, an editor, made sure that she shared with her children every story, tale or proverb, every new word and traditional norm she learned.  Ayo's early exposure to African literature and art sparked her interest in writing and storytelling. Princess Ayo graduated from St. Anne's Girls High School, Ibadan and The Polytechnic Ibadan. 

After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Ibadan, she taught English language and literature at home in Nigeria for six years before coming to the US in 1985. Since 1989, when she founded HADITHI, African Storytelling, now Princess Ayo.com, she has been a professional storyteller to ALL ages. In 1999 she completed her Masters of Education & Human Development, specializing in Educational Technology from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.  Over the past 9 years she has held positions in training and development at Cable and Wireless, USA, the US Defense Acquisition University and at Prison Fellowship Ministry.