Biography

Abimbola Gbemi Alao is a literary

scholar A scholar is a person who pursues academic and intellectual activities, particularly academics who apply their intellectualism into expertise in an area of study. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researche ...

and

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

. Abimbola was born in

Ibadan, Nigeria Ibadan (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and most populous city of Oyo State, in Nigeria. It is the List of Nigerian cities by population, third-largest city by population in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano (city), Kano, with a total population ...

. She studied at the

University of Ibadan The University of Ibadan (UI) is a public research university in Ibadan, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan, one of many colleges within the University of London. It became an independent university in 196 ...

, Nigeria, where she obtained a BA (Hon) degree in classics in 1988 and an MA Classics in 1991. She later studied PGCE and MA in creative writing at the

University of Plymouth The University of Plymouth is a public research university based predominantly in Plymouth, England, where the main campus is located, but the university has campuses and affiliated colleges across South West England. With students, it is the ...

in 2001 and 2009 respectively. She earned her PhD in 2023 at the

University of Lapland The University of Lapland is located in the city of Rovaniemi, Finland. It was founded in 1979. While UiT The Arctic University of Norway is the northernmost university in the world, the University of Lapland is the most northern university in t ...

, Lapin yliopisto in Finland. Her research focuses on the prevalence of Frontotemporal Dementia, and how to raise awareness of FTD for early diagnosis. She is the author of ''Dear Toriola, Let's Talk About Perimenopause'' (2019), ''Trickster Tales for Telling'' (2016), ''How to Enhance Your Storytelling With Music'' (2016),''The Legendary Weaver: New Edition'', a young-adult fiction book (2003 and 2011), and ''The Goshen Principle: A Shelter in the Time of Storm'' (2010). She has also written numerous poems, short stories and plays. In 2008, her short play, 'Legal Stuff', won the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

and

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, Englan ...

'24 Degrees' Writing Competition. In 2011–2012, she wrote a collection of fables for KidsOut World Stories; this project won the 2013 Talk Talk Digital Heroes award for the East of England. She is a children's book translator and her work includes translation of the classics: 'Hansel and Gretel', 'The Little Red Hen and the Grain of Wheat' and several other books, published by Mantra Lingua publishers. Abimbola was a tutor at the Institute of Education,

, from 2003 to 2007. In 2007, she was appointed as a lecturer in creative writing at the

University of St Mark & St John Plymouth Marjon University, commonly referred to as Marjon, is the trading name of the University of St Mark and St John, a university based primarily on a single campus on the northern edge of Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom. Formerly named Univ ...

(MARJON), Plymouth, where she taught for 11 years. A recipient of Plymouth's 2017 Mayflower Scholarship, she started her research in the UK, where she explored the influence of psychosocial intervention for dementia. Abimbola is a visiting lecturer and lead provider of 'StoryWeavers for Dementia', a Special Study Unit (SSU) in Medical Humanities, at the Peninsula School of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth. The program, developed by Abimbola, explores non-pharmacological approach to dementia care. It is offered to people who live with various forms of dementia. In 2015, Abimbola collaborated with the Alzheimer's Society to run a 12-week project with service users in memory cafes. This culminated in an anthology titled, 'Narrative Adventures from Plymouth Memory Cafes'. In January 2014, Stoke Damerel College in Plymouth participated in StoryWeavers for Dementia; the school won the Prime Minister's Dementia Friendly Award: Schools Category in May 2014.

Awards

*2022, Winner The Box Plymouth After Dark Project. *2005, BBC 'Breeze' bursary award. *2008,

'24 Degrees' Writing Competition.

Live performances

Abimbola performs Storytelling, Radio Musicals and Poetry on stage. Her audience includes children, young adults and adults.

Bibliography

Fiction and Non-Fiction

* ''Desert Haiku'' (2023, ) * ''Dear Toriola, Let's Talk About Perimenopause'' (2019, ) * ''Trickster Tales for Telling'' (2016, ) * ''How to Enhance Your Storytelling With Music'' (2016, ) * ''The Legendary Weaver: New Edition'' (2011, ) * ''The Goshen Principle: A Shelter in the Time of Storm'' (2010, ) * ''World Stories'' (2011) * ''The Legendary Weaver'' (2003, )

Translations

* ''Hansel and Gretel: ''"Hansel ati Gretel" Dual Language Yoruba translation by Abimbola Alao. (2005) Mantra Lingua. * ''The little Red Hen and the Grains of Wheat: ''Adie Pupa Kekere ati Eso Alikama' Dual Language Yoruba translation by Abimbola Alao. (2005) Mantra Lingua. * ''Floppy's Friends: '' "Awon ore e Floppy" Dual Language Yoruba translation by Abimbola Alao. (2004) Mantra Lingua. * ''Nita Goes to Hospital: '' 'Nita lo si ile iwosan' Dual Language Yoruba translation by Abimbola Alao. (2005) Mantra Lingua. * ''Grandma's Saturday Soup: '' 'Obe Ojo Abameta Mama Agba' Dual Language Yoruba translation by Abimbola Alao. (2005) Mantra Lingua. * ''Welcome to the world baby: '' 'Kaabo sinu aye Omo titun' Dual Language Yoruba translation by Abimbola Alao. (2005) Mantra Lingua. * ''My Talking Dictionary & Interactive CD ROM'' Yoruba & English – Yoruba translation by Abimbola Alao. (2005) Mantra Lingua.

References

External links

Abimbola AlaoWorld Stories - Yoruba
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alao, Abimbola Living people Yoruba women writers Writers from Ibadan Nigerian writers Nigerian women educators Nigerian emigrants to the United Kingdom University of Ibadan alumni Alumni of the University of Plymouth Life coaches 21st-century Nigerian writers 21st-century Nigerian women writers English–Yoruba translators Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century translators Yoruba people Yoruba writers