Name Abimbola Alao Role Author | Books Legendary Weaver | |
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Abimbola Gbemi Alao also known as Abi Alao, was born in Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a performance storyteller, author, children's book translator and researcher. She currently lives in England.
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Biography
Abimbola studied at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where she gained a BA (Hon) Classics in 1988 and an MA Classics in 1991. She later studied PGCE and MA in Creative Writing at the University of Plymouth.
Abimbola is the author of 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 and Royal Court Theatre '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 include translation of the classics: 'Hansel and Gretel', 'The Little Red Hen and the Grain of Wheat' and several other books, published by Mantra Lingua, a UK-based publisher.
Abimbola was a tutor at the Institute of Education, University of Plymouth, from 2003 to 2007 and was appointed as a lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of St Mark & St John (MARJON), Plymouth, in September 2007. She is a recipient of the Mayflower Doctoral Scholarship and currently researching the influence of physical and cognitive non-pharmacological intervention on disease progression in adults living with dementia.
Abimbola is the lead provider for 'StoryWeavers for Dementia', a Special Study Unit (SSU) in Medical Humanities, at the Peninsula School of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth. The program, which explores non-pharmacological, person-centred approach to dementia care was originally offered to people who live with various forms of dementia in Devon. A few years later, 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'. Abimbola works with students in 'Dementia Friendly Schools', providing creative activities for the elderly in care homes. 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.
Abimbola was a regular contributor to the BBC Radio Devon 'Pause for thought', between 2004 and 2009. She also contributes to 'Saturday Thought', a weekly column in The Herald.
Awards
Live performances
Abimbola performs Storytelling, Musicals and Poetry on stage. Her audience includes children, young adults and adults.