Hi, I’m Itunu, pronounced e-too-nu, founder of BuildWithWords Academy, bestselling Nigerian author, and certified English language educator.

My journey with English is quite an interesting one. Growing up in Lagos, a multilingual city in Nigeria, I fell in love with reading books and the English language, and often corrected my cousin’s grammar (I must have been annoying). You would think this detail would make me a confident writer, but it didn’t. For years, I silently struggled with grammar, doubted my abilities, and avoided pursuing my dream of becoming an author because I thought my English “wasn’t good enough.”

Everything changed when I stopped waiting for perfection and started learning intentionally by reading and studying more to be the best version of myself. I became so good I went ahead and:

• Earned a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate from the University of Toronto
• Taught over 10,000 hours of English lessons to 2,000+ students from 40+ countries.
• Achieved “Super Tutor” status (top 5% of tutors) through consistently effective, learner-centered instruction
• Published four books, including two bestsellers that have reached thousands of Nigerian readers
• Designed and delivered in-person and online English writing workshops for 50+ Nigerian students through the BuildWithWords Academy.

But more than any credential, what drives me is this: I know what it’s like to feel held back by language, and I know what it takes to break through.

As a Nigerian bestselling author, I’ve been featured as a literacy advocate at the WriteWithMusic Festival and invited to discuss youth literacy on Classic FM 97.3 Nigeria’s Book Review with Benji. I’ve mentored emerging writers, watched students publish their first books, and seen firsthand how improved English literacy transforms confidence, opportunity, and lives.

The BuildWithWords Academy

The BuildWithWords Academy began with a simple realization: talent without clear communication is potential left untapped.

In 2021, after my debut novel Beautiful Surrender became a bestseller on Okadabooks, something unexpected happened. Asides receiving congratulations, my inbox filled with desperate messages from young Nigerian readers:

“I want to write a book, but my English isn’t good enough.”
“Can you teach me how to structure my sentences?”
“I have so many ideas, but I don’t know how to express them clearly.”

These messages broke my heart, not because these readers lacked talent or intelligence, but because they’d been convinced that imperfect English meant they couldn’t share their stories, pursue their dreams, or communicate confidently in a language that’s essential for opportunity in Nigeria.

I understood their struggle intimately. I had faced the same doubts, made the same grammar mistakes, and questioned whether my English would ever be “good enough.” But I had something they didn’t: access to resources, mentorship, and structured English language training.

That’s why I created BuildWithWords Academy.

The Mission

We exist to bridge the gap between aspiration and access.

BuildWithWords Academy provides practical, affordable, and culturally relevant English writing education for young Nigerian adults who want to:

• Write clearly and confidently
• Communicate professionally in academic and workplace settings
• Tell their stories without language barriers holding them back
• Build the literacy skills needed for economic opportunity and personal growth

We believe that every Nigerian with a story to tell, an idea to share, or a dream to pursue deserves the tools to communicate effectively in English regardless of their background, location, or previous education.