NOVEMBER READING: IBADAN BOOK CLUB SET TO HOST FIVE TEEN WRITERS AND ARTIST ON SATURDAY

Ibadan Book Club (IBC) has set aside 27th day of November, 2021 to host five Ibadan based teen writers and artist, four of which are students of God’s Blessing Comprehensive College, Yemetu Ibadan. The guest writers and artist are: Akinfenwa Temitope, Oyetunji Moyinoluwa Sarah, Tinuade Dorcas Omitoogun, Ajobo Haleeah Oluwalaanumi and Razak Samads.

A statement issued by both the Coordinator and Secretary of the club, Ayobami Odunyemi and Mary Ndukwo said the event would take place at the Oyo State Library Board, Opposite Cocoa House, Ibadan by 12PM prompt.

Find below are short profiles of Ibadan Book Club’s Guest Writers and Artist for the month of November, 2021.

OYETUNJI MOYINOLUWA SARAH

Oyetunji Moyinoluwa Sarah, born thirteen (13) years ago in Ibadan , her birth was recorded on the 17th day of November 2008, she is presently a Junior secondary School III, student of God's Blessing Comprehensive College.
Her journey into creative writing was discovered at an early age, but as a relatively shy and quiet girl, she kept all her writings to herself, with hardly no reader, until her school mother, helped her. Adebayo Damilola, helped her discover her talent and motivated her to write and never be discouraged, and so she courted the habit of reading every good book available to read.
She started writing at the age of nine when she was in primary four and has written over five short stories and several poems
Her hobbies includes singing, reading writing and debating,
Her interest in reading and writing has made her a better person and has opened her eyes to desire changing the world positive..
Moyinoluwa specializes in writing poetry and prose, and may consider playwriting in the near future.
She is a member of the Book Friendly Club in her school, where she shares ideas and discusses her works with other writers, under the tutelage of Mr Marcus Ugboduma .
She is also a member of the Ibadan Book Club. Her greatest aspiration is to become a great writer from Africa.
She has written many poems, some of which include
'Have you ever wondered',
'I am me',
'Rights of the youths,
"My way of giving" "Poetry is me",
"My parents my jewel", "What goes around, comes around",
" Giving is taking" among other poems all yet to be published
Moyinoluwa has also three written works in prose which are,
"My life my Complications"
" The rough path", and "Folashades's mystery."
Moyinoluwa as at certain times in her youthful life engaged in acting in the past, usually at the church during special programmes and when she was in primary school, and her next acting stint in which she is actively involved is AGBEKOYA a play on the Farmers uprising in Ibadan in the 70s, which would be staged coincidentally on her forthcoming birthday this November. She had three of her poems read to the listening pleasure of members of the Ibadan book club.
She is grateful to God for her writing skill.

TEMITOPE AKINFENWA

Temitope Akinfenwa was born 12 years ago , since her childhood days she developed her interest in books and enjoys reading at ease, she dreams of being a mass communicator, or an accountant, since she discovered how versatile she is reading and writing, her teachers at God's Blessing Comprehensive College discovered she was fond of converting her note books to her writing pad where she wrote her poems and short stories, it was then it was discovered that she had several other works she had secretly written and kept to herself, which she had been writing since she was 9 years old. And so she was advised to join the Book Friendly Club of God's Blessing Comprehensive College Ibadan. Since then, her writing skill has taken a new dimension. She had her first opportunity to read her poems to a large audience when the joined the club, and she was further encouraged, at the monthly reading of the Ibadan book club where she was appreciated having read her poems to a more larger and experienced audience.
Some of her poems includes
'I must shine'
" My tomorrow"
"Victory is mine" and
"My body,God's temple"
While her plays and prose includes,
"Do no cry yet"
"The Young virgin"
"Blood she'd and not shed" and
"From Shame to glory" and others.
She believes a future career in writing is possible and that constant reading shapes ones future, while God, her parents and teachers motivates her to write stories, poems and plays, and they have been her pillars supporting her to be a better person, to them she shall be forever grateful.

TINUADE DORCAS OMITOOGUN

Tinuade Dorcas Omitoogun, is an upcoming budding creative writer, with a penchant for writing prose and short stories. She is twelve years old and was born to the family of Mr and Mrs Omitoogun on the 23rd day of October, 2009. She started out loving to read books her parents bought for her, and reading books her older siblings had at home. As she fiddled with books at an early age, tearing off book covers and pages of novels, her family never got discouraged, this prompted her father to buy her books meant for her age, at that time she was barely three years old. She guided her book jealously and since then holds every book in high esteem, as she scribbled on this books, the love for writing began to take shape. She got motivated by every book she read, and her appetite for reading heightened. And a desire to write stories began to build up, because of her love for reading.
At the age of 8 years she fulfilled her dream to be a writer, by completing her first story titled "The best place to be" at that time she was in primary 4.
Among her other works are
"Seed to sow",
"honesty pays",
"The reward of jealously", and
"Why didn't I listen"? etc.some of my poems also are
"Why is this world wicked", "My mother".
Tinuade Dorcas Omitoogun is a member of Book Friendly Club of God’s Blessing Group of Schools and also the Ibadan Book Club, where she has had opportunities to read out her poems and stories to club members, She earned herself a major role in AGBEKOYA, a play based on farmers uprising in Ibadan in the 60s. The play has further motivated her to write plays and so she looks forward to publishing her first book soon.

AJOBO HALEEAH OLUWALAANUMI

Ajobo Haleeah Oluwalaanumi is a lover of nature and enjoys reading and narrating stories. Presently, preparing for her BECE 2021/22 Academic Session. She aspires to become a qualified and successful Medical Practitioner. A foundation member of Elewura Readers’ Club. Haleeah recently read one of her works at a readership promotion campaign programme of the National Library of Nigeria, Oyo State Branch held recently in Ibadan.

RAZAK SAMADS

Razak Samads was born in the year 2007 in Ibadan, Oyo state where he hails from and currently lives. As Samads grew up he watched his elder sister draw and paint object and pictures and that inspired him to desire to draw and paint pictures too, At the age of seven, the turnaround came when he drew his first picture, his elder sister saw the talent in him and began helping him out to perfect his artistic skills. Support and encouragement from his parents and teachers have him the needed lifeline,
One day he was suspended from the table tennis team of God's blessing Comprehensive College Ibadan. He was kept out of the team for weeks for failing to take his studies seriously. While he sat one morning watching his peers play, he had in one hand his drawing pad, some students were gathered around and flipping from page to page with excitement on their faces. At that point Mr Marcus Ugboduma discovered he was an artist and decided to nurture him and promote his artistic works, so he began tasking him. At that point he became a celebrity Artist, whose specialty is simply to draw celebrities and notable personalities.
Among the notable personalities or celebrities he has drawn includes: Burna Boy, Dr Yinka Ayefele, President Mohammadu Buhari, Governor Setup Makinde. But his most favorite drawings are That of the Olubadan of Ibadan Land and Dr Yinka Ayefele. Samad really appreciated his teacher, mentor and master, Mr. Marcus Ugboduma who tutored, mentored, encouraged and took him like his son. In a bid to show his gratitude to him, Samad drew a beautiful portrait of Mr. Marcus and his wife to mark their 3rd wedding anniversary.
Samad is a member of the Book friendly club of God's blessing Comprehensive college, and also the Ibadan book club. He feels privilege to have exhibited his art works at the 2020 Cultural day celebration held in his school, where the Chairman of the Oyo State council For Arts and culture, was present and promised to take him to the Olubadan of Ibadan Land to present his work to Our royal father, but that dream is yet to see the light of day but he hopes it comes sooner, His works were also exhibited at the Ibadan book club in one of their monthly readings,
Samad is an artist per excellence, who recently played the role of prisoner 1 in Agbekoye. The play AGBEKOYA was staged by students of his School to mark the 2020/21 Valedictory Service. He now believes that with constant reading and study with book club members, he hopes to write poems plays and prose sooner.
Samad is sure that in the nearest future his drawings will flood the art space as the biggest maker of celebrity art works, his current work is the drawing of Prophetess Esther Ajayi.
The upcoming book reading event promises to be an avenue for reading creative works such as poetry, fiction, book sales and signing, contacts with other readers and book writers in all corners of the Oyo State, the statement added.
Prospective writers who have works in poetry, short stories and novels can also attend to read their works to other writers and readers. Membership forms and certificate of membership will be available at no charge to first timers.
Ibadan Book Club is an initiative of the Nigerian Young Writers Society. It was founded in 2011 by SYNW in order to contribute its own quota to the growth and development of the Reading Culture in Oyo State.
The Ibadan Book Club consists of a group of people who meet, meet periodically to discuss the book they have read and exchange those books. Club members encourage each other and learn to read with a critical mind, articulating their opinions about a particular book with others. Certain types of books not available or read receive attention through the book club.
Some of the publications published by Ibadan Book Club are: Olubadan Centennial Anthology: a collection of essays, articles, poems and works of art in honor of Oba (Dr.) Samuel Odulana, Odugade 1, Voices from Oja Oba Market and Finally, Senator Abiola Ajimobi: Memories, Dreams, Reflections of a Mind Always in Motion.