Two multi-talented writers with a Lagos connection, Maero Ozako and Bobo Omotayo will be the featured writers at the July 28 edition of the Guest Writer Session, an initiative of the Abuja Writers’ Forum(AWF), which holds at Hamdala Plaza, Plot 23, Jimmy Carter Street, off Protea Hotel, Asokoro, Abuja.
Maero Ozako, a spoken-word poet, motivational speaker, children’s author and artist, was born in Delta State to two educationists; Reverend Canon and Mrs Paul Ozako. She grew up in a ‘book castle’ and always dreamt of writing books. She attended the Federal government Girls’College, Benin City before getting a Bachelor of Science degree in geography and regional planning from the University of Benin.
Having worked for many years as a copywriter at various advertising firms like Insight Communications, Rosabel Leo Burnett and Prima Garnet Ogilvy before setting off on her own, Maero is a Goldman Sach’s Scholar and received a Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management in 2009. She has a unique range of experiences in project ideas generation and management, corporate communications in the Private Sector, public relations and development enabling
her create projects especially in philanthropy and human and community development with effective communications strategies.
She has also made her mark in her work with the less-privileged especially with the refugees through the her work with the SOS and other orphanage homes, ancoordinated the World
Refugee day for the UNHCR through AREF in year 2000. She also won a Rotary Youth Literary Award during the RYLA week on the Sea School Island in 1990 and is a role model awardee of the Halifield School, Maryland.
Maeroe is driven by a vision to motivate and add value to the lives of women and children and was invited by the office of the First Lady Of Lagos state to speak to women at the annual Commitee of Wives Of Lagos State event at Eko Hotel.
Author of five books for children and one for women titled ’WORDS OF WISDOM’’ which is the first in the W.O.W. (Words Of Wisdo) series designed as a compilation of poems and one-liners written straight from her heart. Her other books are ‘’Fables For Children’’, both written and illustrated by her. The foreword for the two books was written by the late Lady Kofo Ademola. Her third book is ‘’Money Grows On Trees’’with a foreword by Dr Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Her other books are ‘’What If Everyday Was Christmas? And ‘’Words Of Wisdom For Children’’ Maero created the CHUMMIES CLUB, in the year 2001 as her contriubution to stop mental poverty amongst children. The Chummies Creative Academy, the Chummies Green Team and the Chummies book Club are all part of this vision. The children of this club are taught basic skills in performance, photography and creative writing. Every Saturday, children read her pages in the This Day newspapers. She has conducted educational tours for children to countries like Ghana, Kenya and Dubai. She has has been engaged by the GTBank and First Bank to speak to children and is inspired by her daughter, Zulu.
Bobo Omotayo is a Director at R&B Public Relations Limited which specializes in corporatecommunications – reputation management, communication with non-consumer publics, persuasion, and spin for corporate concerns and brands. Bobo is also known under the nom de plume ‘The Renaissance Man’. He has contributed as a columnist and freelance writer to several print, online newspapers and magazines including The Guardian, NEXT, BusinessDay, and BellaNaija.com.
In 2011, he was one of two young people selected by MTV Networks Africa to be a panelist at the launch press conference for the MTV Base Meets…with MTN, a groundbreaking pan-African multimedia campaign designed to inspire African youth by connecting them with some of the world’s most influential personalities.
Later in the same year, he published his first book; “London Life, Lagos Living”. In his words: “Initially apprehensive as to the likely public response, I am daily humbled by the public embrace of this labour of love by the reading public. A couple of thousand copies later, I am astounded by the depth of feedback from readers, who effuse about how the book has in some way or the other made them laugh, reflect, reason and more.”
The book has already led to the making of a 6-minute documentary, directed by LA-based filmmaker, Francesca Tilley-Gyado, is not so much a story of ‘the journey so far’ but more a snapshot into what a typical week is like for the author and contributors to the book. The documentary can be viewed at
The Guest Writer Session which started in June 2008 is generally regarded as the most consistent literary event in the country and has become the template for similar interventions. So far this year it has featured an interesting mix of writers namely Uche Ezechukwu, Steve Okecha, Oyibo Ameh, K K Iloduba, Betty Abah, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Chido Onumah and Richard Ali.
The July 28, 2012 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.
