Writer, Journalist and Filmmaker, Casey Imafidon kick-starts the first quarter of the Abuja Writers Forum’s readings on February 23 at Hamdala Plaza, Plot 23, Jimmy Carter Street, off Protea Hotel, Asokoro, Abuja.
An indigene of Edo State, Imafodon was born and raised in Lagos. After his secondary school stint, he proceeded to the Nigeria Institute of Journalism and got a grounding in Mass Communications, with a specialization in Broadcast Journalism. He also studied film production at the SAE Institute in South Africa, which has a reputation for practical creative media education.
The writing bug bit Imafidon at the tender age of nine and since then he has been at it and his stories have appeared in various publications including online literary magazines. His first published book, “Effects”, is a study of youthful exuberance. In a nutshell, it revolves around the relationship between the weird, strikingly peculiar and physically unkempt Simisola and the deported felon, Ronald Adetokunbo.
His current publication, “Ajegunle”, is part of an ongoing project to map Lagos in the context of stories. The short stories metaphorically compare daily living in Ajegunle to a larger Nigerian picture. It tells the story of tough persons who grapple with the hardships of existing in West Africa’s most populated slum, driving by the passion of succeeding against all odds.
According to Okechukwu Uwaezuoke, editor of Thisday Arts and Review,”Casey Imafidon’s style of writing paints a vivid description to the reader, biting and consuming, he holds you to the last page.” Imafidon is currently negotiating with the producers of “Igodo” with the intention of doing two sequels of the popular film. He has also worked on film scripts with the likes of Onyeka Nwelue and Iyke Okogwu and is the in-house film director for Eagles and Angels, a Lagos-based production outfit.
He has since also obtained professional training and certifications in Project Management, Creative Writing and Public Relations and does stints in Corporate Communication.
The Guest Writer Session, an initiative of the Abuja Writers’ Forum(AWF), debuted in June, 2008 and has run non-stop, providing a valuable platform for budding and established writers to showcase their publications. It has become the template for similar interventions across the country.
The February 23 edition of the Guest Writer Session starts at 4pm and will include the usual side
attractions of poetry performance, mini art exhibition, and a raffle-draw as well as live music. The Abuja Writer’s Forum meets three Sundays each month and hosts a reading on every last Saturday at the International Institute of Journalism, Hamdala Plaza, Jimmy Carter Street, Asokoro, Abuja.