Crafting a Cultural StoryBot with MCP and C# at .NET York

Olorunfemi Davis

This past Wednesday, July 16, 2025, the air at Patch York was buzzing with excitement, the aroma of pizza, and fascinating discussions as we explored the cutting-edge fusion of AI technology and cultural storytelling!

Olakunle Abiola and I had the privilege of presenting “Crafting a Cultural StoryBot with MCP and C#” at .NET York, which explored the intersection of technical innovation and cultural storytelling.

It was an in-person event at Patch York , Bonding Warehouse, Terry Avenue, YO1 6FA, and it was fantastic to see developers, AI enthusiasts, and members of the .NET community gathered. Attendees enjoyed pizza, drinks, and lively networking, fostering a great sense of community before and after the talk.

The StoryBot’s Journey: From Concept to Cultural Connector

Our session introduced the Naija2Sheffield StoryBot, a desktop virtual assistant we built that beautifully blends Nigerian and Sheffield cultures using AI and C#. The core of our presentation explored how we integrated AI and cultural storytelling to create this unique tool.

During the session, we outlined the comprehensive technical stack that powered the StoryBot: Semantic Kernel, the Model Context Protocol (MCP), .NET Core, C++, Go, Azure, and Docker’s MCP Catalogue, Toolkit, and Model Runner.

We shared personal anecdotes from our “Journey to the West,” connecting our experiences to the broader themes of cultural discovery. The engagement was palpable, with fun questions and activities that highlighted the cultural nuances we aimed to bridge.

Diving Deep into the Tech

The technical segment of our talk was a deep dive into the architecture and implementation. We kicked off by telling the story behind the creation of the MCP protocol itself, providing context for its pivotal role. We then delved into Semantic Kernel, showcasing its power in facilitating the seamless integration of AI into .NET Applications.

The technical architecture behind the work was detailed, including:

  • MCP for simplifying AI integrations.
  • Microservices with Docker for scalable web scraping.
  • Semantic Kernel as Microsoft’s bridge between .NET and AI.
  • MongoDB integration for incorporating cultural data from Nigerian blogs.
  • Performance optimization achieved through C++ embedded in C#.

A key highlight was an architecture diagram illustrating precisely how MCP interacts with AI systems and agents, including the critical role of MongoDB for data storage.

The StoryBot in Action!

The most exciting part for many was the live demonstration of the Naija2Sheffield StoryBot. Attendees witnessed firsthand the bot’s capabilities, exploring interactive cultural queries. It was truly remarkable to see the bot effortlessly blend cultures, answering questions like, “Compare Nigerian jollof to Sheffield’s Sunday roast” all running securely within Docker containers.

We also provided a peek behind the curtain with live view of important parts of the StoryBot’s code, interface and functionality.

Optimising for Performance and Security

A significant portion of our discussion focused on the technical challenges and solutions involved. Attendees discovered:

  • How we integrated C++ for high-performance data parsing tasks.
  • Strategies for optimising .NET Core APIs for memory and CPU efficiency on Azure.
  • Leveraging Docker MCP Catalogue and Toolkit for secure, one-click server setup.
  • Building robust context-aware AI agents with Semantic Kernel and Model Context Protocol (MCP).

We also touched upon MCP security, Azure best practices, and the intricacies of C++/C# interoperability, emphasizing secure and efficient development.

Cultural Insights and AI’s Influence

Beyond the code, our presentation highlighted fascinating cultural differences and similarities between Yorkshire, UK, and Lagos, Nigeria. We explored this through various lenses:

  • Cuppa: Yorkshire Tea vs. Zobo
  • Music: Ceilidhs & Celtic vs. Afrobeat
  • Ancient Tradition: Wassailing, Viking Festival vs. Eyo Festival, Felabration
  • Language Dialect: “ey up” and “nowt” vs. “how far” and “i dey h”
  • Food: Yorkshire pudding, Sunday roast vs. Jollof rice, Akara
  • Myth & Folklore: Barghest vs. Mami Wata, Madam Koi Koi
  • Dance: Morris dancing vs. Bata, Zanku (legwork), Shoki

We also demystified how AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) ingest and process data, discussing their growing influence and introducing the concept of “Sability” and inherent biases.

An insightful discussion on AI bias covered how Western documentation versus African oral storytelling highlights AI training data bias. A clever observation was made about “Sabi” (Nigerian Pidgin for “ability to know”) being an anagram of “bias.”

Key Takeaways and Community Impact

The session concluded with vital takeaways for all attendees:

  • How to build AI agents securely with MCP and Docker.
  • Strategies to optimise .NET APIs for lean Azure infrastructure, backed by real-world case studies.
  • Mastering C++/C# interoperability for performance-critical tasks.
  • The power of creating storytelling-driven applications that truly bridge global communities.

The energy and engagement during the Q&A and subsequent networking session were incredible. The Q&A session brought forth brilliant discussions on AI hallucinations, prompt engineering (emphasizing leaving “no stone untouched”), and the effectiveness of role-based prompting for improved context switching.

It’s truly inspiring to contribute to a community passionate about AI, performance optimisation, and inclusive tech that brings people together. As a Senior Software Engineer, sharing knowledge and fostering innovation within the .NET ecosystem is a core passion, and events like these are invaluable for collective growth.

The key takeaway from the session was that this initiative transcended mere technical implementation; it was fundamentally about leveraging technology to bridge cultures, actively combat AI bias through diverse data, and foster the creation of inclusive AI systems.

A huge thank you to .NET York, Patch York for hosting us and to everyone who attended and contributed to such a memorable evening!

Public Links:

Meetup, LinkedIn, LinkedIn Youtube

#TechCommunity #CSharp #AI #MCP #Culture #Nigeria #SemanticKernel #InclusiveTech #StoryBot #YorkTech #Docker.