The November 24 Guest Writer Session of the Abuja Writers Forum (AWF) will feature two writers, Madeline Agoba and Chiemezie Onwubalili. The event is open to the public and holds at the Fountain Hall of Nanet Suites from 4pm to 7pm and featuring readings, Q and A Session, live music and a raffle-draw for books.
Madeline Omonigho Agoba was born in Lagos and had her formative educational years there including attending the prestigious Queen’s College, where she became interested in history. She followed this passion for history by offering it as a course at the Edo State University, Ekpoma.
Her fervour for writing which is only finding fulfilment now, had also been a childhood interest . Ahmadu Bello is her major debut publication. The book can be described as “faction”, as it has enabled her combine her love for history and fiction, by fictionally re-cereating the life of the late premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, using researched materials. It is the first in a series of books she plans to do on prominent African leaders for young readers.
Mrs Agoba’s current favourite authors are Frank Peretti and Francine Rivers and they have influenced her approach to writing fiction: She notes that Ms Rivers is quite descriptive in her narration.
The debutant author loves writing poems and short stories, and cites cooking as a major hobby as it enables her try out new recipes. She resides with her family in Abuja, where she also works with a major telecommunications company.
Chiemezie Onwubalili grew up in Ichi, Anambra State. He studied Economics at Madonna University. At Madonna, in the serenity of the school environment and the solitude of the classrooms, he discovered the joy of reading.
In March 2016, after some personal crises he began to write, hoping to free himself of his torments, but immediately he understood the arduous task of putting down the chaos in his mind. To improve his writing, he started a blog, My Naira Journey, where he wrote about financial freedom and how to achieve it. But after a year, he stopped writing on the blog after he suffered what he called an attack of pure hypocrisy. ‘How can I be teaching people how to build wealth when I have nothing in my bank account.’
He now devotes his time to writing short stories and building websites. His works have appeared in Dugwe and Writers Space Africa.
Some of his stories can be accessed at www.chiemezieonwubalili.com.
