Busayo Ojo, 23
The Open Source Advocate, Ensuring Everyone Has a Seat at the Table
For Busayo Ojo, technology was never just about what software could do - it was about understanding the inner workings of how it was built. Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, her dad was her first introduction to computing, walking her and her sibling through Microsoft Office before teaching her Visual Basic. That early exposure ignited Busayo’s fascination with how digital systems operate behind the scenes, inspiring her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science. During the pandemic, she focused her technical energy on frontend development, spending months building projects independently. Her foundation strong, Busayo’s trajectory shifted entirely when a friend introduced her to open source - a discovery that transformed her self-directed learning into a mission-driven career focused on global and local impact.
With a fresh perspective on what software collaboration could be, Busayo stepped directly into the open-source community by joining CHAOSS as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) event badger. “Although it wasn't a very technical position,” she recalls, “it gave me a firsthand look at how open source communities worked, which made me want to learn even more and meet more people.” Inspired, she applied for an Outreachy internship. Selected to work alongside seasoned open-source mentors, Busayo experienced directly how collaboration accelerates growth. “I learned from that experience that curiosity, teamwork, and a willingness to learn in public were just as important to any community as technical proficiency,” she reflects. From there, Busayo rapidly expanded her leadership and community impact, stepping up to co-chair the CHAOSS project management team, overseeing Hacktoberfest initiatives, and co-organizing the first two CHAOSS Africa conferences, each attracting over 100 regional builders.
Parallel to her work at CHAOSS, Busayo took on the role of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Partnership Lead at Oppia, an open-source educational platform. Her most meaningful project was leading the translation and voice-over effort that localized math and science learning content from English to Yoruba. For children in underserved Nigerian communities without access to formal schooling, receiving educational resources in their native language opened doors that were previously closed. “That reality is what made my work at Oppia feel purposeful every single day,” Busayo shares. “We were teaching math, finance, science - real subjects that can change a child's future.”
That commitment to changing lives extends far beyond educational platforms and into every room Busayo enters. She dedicates her time to speaking at events like She Code Africa and mentoring beginners through their first pull requests. The true weight of her advocacy hit home a year after one of her talks, when a stranger reached out on LinkedIn to share that Busayo’s words had inspired her to apply for and obtain an Outreachy internship. “You never really know who is listening or what kind of seed you are sowing when you speak or put yourself out there,” she reflects. “It was everything to learn a year later that something I shared had enabled someone to take the risk and secure an opportunity that, as I have personally witnessed, can change someone's life.”
Busayo continues to dismantle barriers for African contributors. Driven by a desire to ensure the next generation of builders doesn't have to navigate the ecosystem alone, she remains dedicated to expanding access, fostering representation, and opening doors across the global open-source community. "My story is accomplishing its goal if it can reach even one person and show them that just about anything is achievable," Busayo emphasizes. "The most impactful thing you can do isn't just building, but making sure more people get a seat at the table."
Quick Facts
Busayo Ojo, 23
The Open Source Advocate, Ensuring Everyone Has a Seat at the Table
For Busayo Ojo, technology was never just about what software could do - it was about understanding the inner workings of how it was built. Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, her dad was her first introduction to computing, walking her and her sibling through Microsoft Office before teaching her Visual Basic. That early exposure ignited Busayo’s fascination with how digital systems operate behind the scenes, inspiring her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science. During the pandemic, she focused her technical energy on frontend development, spending months building projects independently. Her foundation strong, Busayo’s trajectory shifted entirely when a friend introduced her to open source - a discovery that transformed her self-directed learning into a mission-driven career focused on global and local impact.
With a fresh perspective on what software collaboration could be, Busayo stepped directly into the open-source community by joining CHAOSS as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) event badger. “Although it wasn't a very technical position,” she recalls, “it gave me a firsthand look at how open source communities worked, which made me want to learn even more and meet more people.” Inspired, she applied for an Outreachy internship. Selected to work alongside seasoned open-source mentors, Busayo experienced directly how collaboration accelerates growth. “I learned from that experience that curiosity, teamwork, and a willingness to learn in public were just as important to any community as technical proficiency,” she reflects. From there, Busayo rapidly expanded her leadership and community impact, stepping up to co-chair the CHAOSS project management team, overseeing Hacktoberfest initiatives, and co-organizing the first two CHAOSS Africa conferences, each attracting over 100 regional builders.
Parallel to her work at CHAOSS, Busayo took on the role of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Partnership Lead at Oppia, an open-source educational platform. Her most meaningful project was leading the translation and voice-over effort that localized math and science learning content from English to Yoruba. For children in underserved Nigerian communities without access to formal schooling, receiving educational resources in their native language opened doors that were previously closed. “That reality is what made my work at Oppia feel purposeful every single day,” Busayo shares. “We were teaching math, finance, science - real subjects that can change a child's future.”
That commitment to changing lives extends far beyond educational platforms and into every room Busayo enters. She dedicates her time to speaking at events like She Code Africa and mentoring beginners through their first pull requests. The true weight of her advocacy hit home a year after one of her talks, when a stranger reached out on LinkedIn to share that Busayo’s words had inspired her to apply for and obtain an Outreachy internship. “You never really know who is listening or what kind of seed you are sowing when you speak or put yourself out there,” she reflects. “It was everything to learn a year later that something I shared had enabled someone to take the risk and secure an opportunity that, as I have personally witnessed, can change someone's life.”
Busayo continues to dismantle barriers for African contributors. Driven by a desire to ensure the next generation of builders doesn't have to navigate the ecosystem alone, she remains dedicated to expanding access, fostering representation, and opening doors across the global open-source community. "My story is accomplishing its goal if it can reach even one person and show them that just about anything is achievable," Busayo emphasizes. "The most impactful thing you can do isn't just building, but making sure more people get a seat at the table."
