Abimbola Alao

Abimbola Gbemi Alao also known as Abi Alao, was born in Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a bi-lingual storyteller, author, children's books translator and life coach. She currently lives in England.

Abimbola studied Classics at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where she gained a BA degree in 1988 and an MA in 1991. She later studied PGCE and MA in Creative Writing at the University of Plymouth. She is the director of Studies at Lampo Education, an organisation that provides creative arts training for schools, colleges, universities and professionals across the UK and abroad. She is a performance storyteller,and translator.

Abimbola is lead provider for 'StoryWeavers for Dementia', a Special Study Unit (SSU) in Medical Humanities, at the Peninsula School of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth. In 2011, she started the Story-Weaver's club for people living with Alzheimer's and Dementia. This program uses improvisational storytelling and percussion music as a non-pharmacological, person-centred approach to dementia care. She now provides training for carers, volunteers and 'Dementia Friendly Schools',. 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 collaborated with the Alzheimer's Society Plymouth, in 2015, to run a 12-week project with service users in various memory cafes. This culminated in an anthology titled, 'Narrative Adventures from Plymouth Memory Cafes'.

Abimbola taught Narrative in Educational Practice and Research at the University of Plymouth, from 2003 to 2007 and was later appointed as a lecturer at the University of St Mark & St John (MARJON), Plymouth, in September 2007. She left her permanent teaching position at Marjon in August 2013. She is now a visiting lecturer at Marjon, teaching creative writing and storytelling.

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. She 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.

Abimbola coordinates a City Prayer Network in Plymouth, through Adura Ministries. The monthly program draws people from various denominations to pray for local, national and world issues.

• 2005, BBC 'Breeze' bursary award
• 2008, BBC/Royal Court Theatre '24 Degrees' Writing Competition.

• "The cool breeze is now blowing". BBC Online. September 2006. Retrieved 10 September 2011. 

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

• 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.