Olutoye Walrond

Olutoye Walrond grew up in rural Barbados, one of a series of islands colonized by the British in the Caribbean, a region known for calypso, carnival and cricket. He shares the island with fellow Barbadian, the legendary former West Indies Cricketer, Sir Garfield Sobers. He was christened Glyne Walrond at St. John's Parish (Anglican) Church back in the 1950's. But some time in the 1980's he adopted the Nigerian name Olutoye, in affirmation of his African ancestry. Olu - as he's called - began...See more

Olutoye Walrond grew up in rural Barbados, one of a series of islands colonized by the British in the Caribbean, a region known for calypso, carnival and cricket. He shares the island with fellow Barbadian, the legendary former West Indies Cricketer, Sir Garfield Sobers. He was christened Glyne Walrond at St. John's Parish (Anglican) Church back in the 1950's. But some time in the 1980's he adopted the Nigerian name Olutoye, in affirmation of his African ancestry. Olu - as he's called - began his working life as a primary school teacher, but settled into broadcasting, first as a Reporter with the then Rediffusion wired service, and then as a Reporter and later Television Producer/Presenter with the state-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation in Barbados. He retired from that position in 2013. While at CBC, he produced many educational programmes on history, social affairs and Pan Africanist themes. Some of them have won him awards, including the Caribbean Broadcasting Union award for best radio programme, the CBC award for best local television programme, the PAHO merit award for a documentary on HIV AIDS and the Barbados Association of Journalists award for best short feature in television. In 2007 he was presented with the Clement Payne Award and in 2010 he received the Oshe Emeke Award from the Barbados Commission for Pan African Affairs, both for outstanding professional contribution to Barbadian society in the field of broadcasting. In his more leisurely moments Olu enjoys playing the piano and writing. He is the author of two books of children's verse, THE CHILDREN'S VOICE and WEST INDIAN NURSERY DRAMA. WESTMINSTER'S JEWEL is his first adult work. Apart from writing and playing the piano he enjoys choral singing and does so with a group called the Cecilian Chorale. See less