I began to discover my love for nature, land, indigenous wisdom, and healing practices when I was 7 years old on the land of my maternal grandparents, where I spent a lot of time in Kenya. By 17, I was studying with my great-uncle Olwaya, who has since entered the ancestral realm. Even though I studied French Education and graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Dayton, I was already a folk herbalist, healing my neighbors, family members of my then-partner. I birthed 3 children by 25, had homebirths, and used herbs to support all my births, postnatal care, and lactation. I decided to become a birth worker and have been committed to this work ever since. For a while, I studied pharmacy and worked as a pharmacy assistant for about 4 years, simultaneously enrolled in a Master of Science program in Clinical Herbalism at the Maryland University of Integrative Health. I completed my studies successfully in 2008.

 

Moving between many lands, South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, and eventually settling for a while in Pittsburgh, I opened my first shop, Ola's Herb Shop, which I managed first in Morningside, then Squirrel Hill between 2010 and 2015. Before opening Ola's Herb Shop, I worked out of my home, it was where I started my first apothecary and formulated for a Haitian American businessman located in Boston. It was during my stay in Pittsburgh in 2012, I began Well of Indigenous Wisdom School. Shortly after the opening of WOIW school, I was initiated into my Yoruba father's traditional spiritual path, Ifa, and became Iyanifa. 

 

Around 2015, I decided to move my family to Puerto Rico, even though I had been visiting for several years prior. In Puerto Rico, I met my most significant teacher, Bibi Kukuya, a Taino woman who ended up adopting me and my children into the community. I opened Omaroti, my Taino name meaning Little Moon, in Mayaguez in 2019. This same year, the American Herbalist Guild awarded me for my work after Hurricane Maria hit the island of Puerto Rico. There, my work was primarily immersed in clinical work supporting people with diabetes, gastritis, depression, and anxiety, birthwork, sexual health, and so much more. I was a primary clinician with Boricua Barefoot Doctors, as well as working on my own with Herbalists without Borders, going around the island offering free clinics, healing the people. In addition, offering healing services to the Taino community in ceremonial grounds. In 2025, the call to return to my ancestral home was heard. Even though my father is Nigerian, I identify primarily as a Kenyan woman. 

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I have been invited to several schools, conferences, gatherings, and symposiums during my herbal career. I love to teach and hold retreats!  Some places I have taught and/or continue to teach:

• International Herb Symposium

• American Herbalist Guild

• Arbor Vitae School of Traditional Herbalism

• People's School of Herbal Medicine

• Herbal Entrepreneur

• Southeast Women's Herbal Conference

• Great Lakes Herb Faire

• Institute of American Indian Arts

I am also a member of the following:

• American Botanical Council

• American Herbalist Guild

• Herb Society of America

• Spiritual Naturalist Society

• Herbalists without Borders

My qualifications are:

• Certified Nutritional Specialist

• Registered Herbalist with American Herbalist Guild

• Master of Science in Clinical Herbalism

• Candidate for Doctor of Clinical Nutrition 2027