Meet Tayo Ola//My Introductory Post

Meet Tayo Ola//My Introductory Post

(Takes mic, clears throat)
Hello, everyone and welcome to my introductory reading.

My name is… hold on, it's long… Olutayo Oladipo Prosper Pwapedeno Andrew.
See, the first three names were given to me by my parents. Pwapedeno was given to me by the good people of the Bachama tribe in Adamawa state where I was born, and by virtue of this, I think I'm cross-cultural. I am Yoruba, but I'm also Bachama.

I was born to Yoruba parents in Yola, Adamawa some time in the mid 90s. The third of five children, I grew up with my siblings around Yola (I would have shown you pictures of us together, but they don't like pictures).

Because we're two boys in the family, I formed a stronger bond with my brother, even though everyone else thinks I'm closest to the last born of the family, a beautiful, impetuous young lady.

My sister's photo

I read English at Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba in Ondo state and I graduated as one of the best students in my class.

I can say that it is in the course of my studies that I started writing. My first poem was published on a now defunct OpenBookNigeria.com.

I have written poems and short fiction over the years, some of which have been published only online on Kalahari Review, Nantygreens and elsewhere. I have also reviewed books on my facebook page.

I did my mandatory national service in Sokoto where I taught English Language at Command Science Secondary School (Girls) between 2019 and 2020.

Because I write, I also love to read. I read a lot. I love books as much as I love food. I can even pick a poetry chapbook over a plate of jollof rice. My favourite books at the moment are: Dami Ajayi’s A Woman's Body is a Country (poems), Fela: This B***h of a Life (Biography), Elma Shaw's Redemption Road (Fiction - I love this book for its treatment of trauma in a post-civil war African country).

I also love music, photography and the theatre, and I'm learning to play the piano.

Presently, I teach Literature and English language at a private school in Jos, Nigeria.

As an unpublished writer (in the book sense, now) nothing gives me more joy than sharing my work with people and receiving feedback to improve my art. I love to share my writing and that's why I joined Hive. I was introduced to Hive by @ovey10, assuring me that here my writing can find expression and the needed encouragement towards becoming published.

I'm happy to be here and I hope to have a good rapport with the community here. Cheers!