Tori Famuyiwa shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Tori, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The 1st 90 minutes of my day is important for me to set the tone for my dy by being intentional. I start with a ludic dreaming future self medication before I get out of bed.
Then I make my way to the kitchen to put the kettle on for my herbs and teas, I always start my morning with a warm glass of ginger, tumeric, apple cider vinegar and lime/lemon juice with some warm water.
While my water is waiting to boil I brush my teeth, wash my face while doing some affirmations, or listening to high vibration music to elevate my frequency.
I then sit down for my medication after which I journal while sipping on my tea. My mornings are immersive for my self care and connection, before I tune into the world, my phone, and life in general.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Omotoriolawaye Famuyiwa, first name meaning child come to earth to experience the blessings of life, my last name means Divine Oracle brings wisdom.
I grew up in Nigeria never knowing or meeting anyone with my unique name. Something I silently thank my parents for.
I go by Tori aka Nigerian Buddah. I am a global citizen, a heart opener, a space holder, a work in progress here to help raise the vibrantion of the planet, the galaxy, the cosmos and beyond. I do this by living out loud and being my most authentic self.
I live everyday immersing myself in the things I love, dialy mindfulness living, creativity and human connection.
I am a Wholistic Wellness and Lifestyle Architect, guiding souls to design lives that feel nourishing, aligned, and beautifully their own. Through a blend of energy work, mindful practices, and intuitive lifestyle design, I help weave the sacred and the practical into a harmonious rhythm. Together, we craft a way of living where your inner world and outer reality reflect your highest self.
I am finally putting the pieces together and launching my brand January 2026, TLC – Toriola Living Collective is a lifestyle brand rooted in conscious fashion, holistic wellness, and sustainable living, uniquely blending culture, creativity, and eco-friendly practices to inspire mindful, elevated living in Nigeria and beyond.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My 2nd 4th grade teacher saw me, Mr Owusu. He was a Ghanaian man that had immigrated to Nigeria when Ghana was going through tough times.
I had repeated primary 4/th grade under the influence of my 1st 4th grade teacher who didnt like me very much, she was very impatient with me and unkind in the way she treated me. The year I was under her care, I spent half of it walking around the school compound by myself feeling sad and alone, occupying my time playing in nature with the plants and on the trees. I remember it was always eerily quite because the entire school kindergarten to the form 6/th grade were in class.
This teacher was one of my 1st memory of feeling someone’s else’s viceral emotion directed towards me, she is one of my teachers on leaning how to feel, decern and read emotions, she helped me developed my empathic gifts for emotional weather vane, a clairsentient.
It wont come as a surprise that I repeated the 4th grade, Mr Owusu my 2nd primary 4/th grade teacher is one of the 1st people I remember seeing me, he was kind and patient with me, under his care my parents learned I needed glasses and couldn’t see well, along with some other learning opportunities. His love and compassion changed the trajectory of my life forever. Wherever you are, thank you Mr Owusu.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that held me back the most was being my true, authentic self as an African gay man. Deep down, I was terrified that if I lived openly, I would be disowned and rejected by my parents and family. For years, I avoided this truth, locking it away until the age of 30.
I still remember the moment everything shifted. One day, standing in front of my bathroom mirror, I realized I had been avoiding my own reflection. Looking myself in the eyes felt nearly impossible. That’s when I broke down and the truth finally broke through—I admitted to myself that I was gay. I knew, in that moment, that I didn’t want to live a lie or lead a double life any longer. The weight of that realization was overwhelming, but it propelled me to make a decision: I would come out to my family and loved ones.
It was through this process that I learned the true importance of coming out: it breaks the silence and secrecy, giving others permission to genuinely speak their truths as well. Even so, it took me over a year to find the courage to share this part of myself with my parents. During that time, I faced my deepest fears—the fear of not being accepted for who I am, and the possibility of being disowned or rejected by those I loved most. I am thankful and blessed with the love and support of my siblings, soulmates, and friends but the path of self-discovery and acceptance was often hard, frightening, and lonely.
After over a year of processing and letting the fear move through me, I made a choice that changed everything: I wrote a letter to my younger self. In it, I reassured him that everything would be alright, and promised that from that moment on, I would always protect and care for him. That letter became one of the most cathartic experiences of my life. On the other side of it, I discovered a profound sense of peace—even in the face of possible rejection from those whose approval I’d silently craved for so long. I came out to my parents a loves ones with the letter to my younger self, abslobing anyone of guilt, shame or blame.
Through this act, I broke energetic patterns and generational traumas that my family had carried for lifetimes. Most importantly, I set myself free to live as my most authentic self.
In the end, choosing love over fear—especially self-love—made all the difference. And now, I invite you to consider: where in your life could a little more love, and a little less fear, help set you free?
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Love, kindness to all things, leaving people, places and things in better shape than you found them and being the change you wish to see in the world.
Amplify love and heart coherence around the world.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If immortality were real, what would you build?
I would love to create something that will outlive me and make a difference for the world.
My 200 year plan is bringing mindfulness practices to everyone in the world especially children, in learning environments, work spaces and in all aspects of life.
I will build concentrated regenerative high vibration spaces and temples for people & community to gather, commune, share, learn, and recieve wisdom as we walk each other home with our shared earth school experiences to unite us in love and honor our symbiosis with nature.
I will create spaces and labs where adults can play and tap into their inner carefree child.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.toriolalivingcollective.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nigerianbuddah?igsh=MXZrYzQ3dDdtbGViaA==
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/torifamuyiwa?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app
- Youtube: NigerianBuddah
- Other: TikTok
@NigerianBuddah
Image Credits
Ozan
Michael
