Another exciting edition of the Guest Writer Session comes up on May 31, 2014 as the Abuja Writers Forum (AWF) hosts writers Chude Jideonwo and Samuel Kolawole, as well as upcoming Jazz Guitar sensation, Michael Olufeta.
The event which holds at Nanet Suites, starts at 4pm and apart from the readings and live music there will be a raffle-draw for book prizes.
Chude Jideonwo , named by Forbes as one of Africa’s 30 best entrepreneurs under 30, is pursuing a career centred on using the media as an active tool to galvanise a generation of Africans to action. In 2010, he founded EnoughisEnough Nigeria, which has become the country’s foremost good governance group for young Nigerians.
A lawyer and award-winning journalist, he has a Master’s Degree in Media and Communication from the Pan-African University. He is a Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum and sits on the boards of the Oando Foundation and Micosoft4Afrika.
His latest book, “Are We The Turning Point Generation?”, is a collection of essays that aptly capture the evolution of youth-led ideas in managing Africa’s leadership and social development challenges.
Samuel Kolawole is a 2014 fiction fellow at the Norman Mailer Writers Colony, USA. He has contributed short fiction to various journals and anthologies. He is a regular contributor for Jungle Jim Fiction Magazine, a ground-breaking African Pulp fiction Magazine based in South Africa. His stories have been published in “Behind the shadows” an anthology of African and Asian writers and ISFN anthology (forthcoming), a Canadian-based imprint where his writing life will be also showcased. Samuel also contributes regularly to South Africa based efrika journal and his article was featured in the Guardian (UK).
Samuel featured as author of the month for his story “Memories and Penitence” at Tea with George, a project from Desperanto and Kanev Books in New York interested in showcasing the amazing talent of writers of poetry and short stories.
His collection of short stories, “The Book of M” was published in 2011 and the collection received critical acclaim. His writing was featured in Departures Magazine, a travel and culture magazine in New York City in an Africa issue in October, 2012 Samuel is a recipient of the 2010 Reading Bridges Writing Fellowship, and aPrince Claus grant by the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development, Amsterdam. A participant in the Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie-led Farafina creative writing program in 2012 and in the “Accra Project” 2013 organised by the Invisible borders Trans African Organisation in conjunction with foundation of contemporary arts Ghana and Accra(dot)Alt, he has done a stint at the Ebedi International Writers Residency. He was chosen to be part of the judging panel for the 2014 Short Story Day Africa Contest with the theme; Terra Incognita:African Speculative Fiction.
Kolawole is the founder and Director of Writers’ Studio, Nigeria’s flagship creative writing school. Writers’ Studio is now spreading throughout Africa with workshops forthcoming in Uganda Johannesburg and Cape Town,South Africa.
He was selected to participate in the Writivism Mentorship Programme organised by the Centre for African and Cultural Excellence (CACE) in Uganda as a mentor. As a mentor, he was paired with the aspiring writers from across the continent and has been working with them to strengthen their writing.
Kolawole lives in Ibadan, Nigeria where he has recently completed work on his first novel. He is a member of PEN international, Nigerian Centre.
Michael Ofuyeta is from Ethiope East, Delta State. A professional bassist with the stage name Myke Wonder, he has performed at several events including World Music Day and the recent World Economic Forum Africa (WEFA) in Abuja.
He is the founder of the Abuja-based Myke Wonder Jazz Band and has four jazz singles out now titled “The Sweetest Thing”,”A Date”,”My Baby” and “Translation”.
The Guest Writer Session which started in June 2008 has established a reputation as the most consistent literary event in the country and has featured an enviable list of emerging and established writers.
