BY ABUBAKAR ABDULLAHI

The April 30 edition of the highly-acclaimed Guest Writer Session, an initiative of the Abuja Writers Forum, now in its third year, features Abubakar Othman, a poet-academic and political activist. The event kicks-off by 4pm at the Pen and Pages Bookstore, White House Plaza, Plot 79, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja.

OTHMAN ABUBAKAR

Born in the serene suburban town of Madagali in Adamawa State, Othman is a graduate of Literature from the University of Maiduguri and A.B.U Zaria, and has been on the teaching staff of the Department of English, University of Maiduguri since 1983.

Some of Dr Othman’s early writing appeared in Vultures In The Air: Voices From Northern Nigeria, an anthology of poetry and fiction edited by Zaynab Allaki. His debut collection of poetry, The Palm Of Time, was published in 2003.

Dr Othman says he finds his background as a literary scholar very significant to his life because literature is the mother of all knowledge and creativity and with proper grounding in literature one can break all barriers of human endeavour. He finds poetry rather enigmatic for its power of introspection, circumspection and translucence. And of all forms of poetry, Othman finds romantic poetry healthier for its therapeutic and cathartic effects on the human soul. Hence, Othman’s second volume, The Passion Of Cupid (2010) is a vivacious celebration of love-within, without and roundabout.

However, as a political and social activist he had a stint in politics between the year 2001 and 2007 when he served his state variously as a Commissioner for Information, Director General and founder of the Adamawa State Agency for Museums and Monuments, and a Special Adviser to the State Governor on Research and Documentation respectively. He returned to his academic post in 2008 only to be invited again to serve in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2010. He is currently the Special Assistant to the Executive Chairman, and Head of the Public Enlightenment Unit of the EFCC.

The event which will include the usual side attractions of poetry performance, mini art exhibition, and a raffle-draw will also feature live music by singer and songwriter, Lindsey Abudei. Born in Jos into a family with a pianist grandfather, university disc jockey dad and 6-year-old choir member mum, Ms Abudei plays what she calls alternative soul, a combination of two genres- alternative soul which can stand on their own or in fusion. Her influences are Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Sade ,Eva Cassidy, Norah Jones, Sarah McLachlan, Lauryn Hill and Corinne Bailey Rae.

She attended Air Force Primary School Jos; St.Louis College,Jos and University of Jos where she studied law. She is currently studying at the Nigerian Law School. Lagos. She was a contestant of the MTN Project Fame West Africa Season 3 and has also worked with M.I, Jesse Jagz, Iceprince, Djinee ,Sage Hasson(Spoken Word) amongst others. She has also got an unofficial single ‘Drift Away’ that plays on major radio stations in and around Abuja.

The Abuja Writer’s Forum meets three Sundays each month and hosts a reading on every last Saturday at the International Institute of Journalism and Pen and Pages respectively.