Introducing myself and my journal: CHUMMIES

About Me:
I grew up in a ''çastle of books'' so my best space is in the world of books! I am a trained writer. I am also a child motivator, speaker and illustrator...I worked as a copywriter for years ( Insight Communications, Rosabel Leo Burnett and Prima Garnet Ogilvy).. I have won a few awards as an advertising copywriter but my passion has always rested with children.

I have written 6 books; five for children and one for women. The books are 'FABLES FOR CHILDREN, BOOK ONE (1994) AND TWO (2000), WHAT IF EVERYDAY WAS CHRISTMAS? (2009), MONEY GROWS ON TREES (2005), WORDS OF WISDOM (W.O.W) FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN (2010) I am an artist and also a poet. I do a lot of readings accross the country.I love working with children. I created a club for children about ten years ago. Over the years, I have run book clubs and arts and crafts clubs for children.I run a mobile library. Over the years, we have worked with many children. Every saturday, for 10 years, I have written and published two pages in one of Nigeria's top newspapers; the This Day newspapers. The pages are the CHUMMIES and the NAIRAWISE pages. I also run the CHUMMIES CREATIVE ACADEMY, THE BOOK CLUB AND THE READING CLUB.

I have also been involved in advocacy and humanitarian work/ informally. I was part of the UNICEF's celebration of the World Literacy day this year working through the CHANGE A LIFE foundation here in Lagos. Aha! I do a lot of motivational speaking for children and women. I am totally focused on making my contriubutions to stop mental poverty especially in Africa. I continue to work in advocacy and have done a few educational tours with children here in Africa; Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. They are edutacional and entertaining. I was invited as a counselor on the 'Bournvita Magic Flight' (Cadbury) to Dubai with 64 children in 2005. I have a B.Sc in geography and Regional Planning from the university of Benin in Nigeria. I have a Certificate in advertising. I got a scholarship ( Goldman Sachs of New York) and have a certificate in entrepeneural Management from the Lagos Business School. (2009) I am an honorary consultant with teh African Refugees Foundation here in Lagos, Nigeria. I was the project coordinator for the celebration of the World Refugee day in year 200. I live in Lagos Nigeria with my daughter, Zulu, my greatest inspiration..

My Passions:
Books, children, advocacy

My Challenges:
Cretivity is a tough street to travel in my country. There is a dearth of reading materials, libraries and support for literacy.

My Vision for the Future:
I would love to open libaries all over Africa but most of all begin to groom, train children at that age when their minds are most fertile to become authors. I will like to revive the dying culture of reading but most of all spark off an interest.

My Areas of Expertise:
Grooming writers, artists...nuturing children to read. networkin.