SYNW INTERVIEW SERIES
YOUR LITTLE IDEA IS THE SEED YOU NEED TO GROW YOUR WRITING SKILLS - BERNICE ADEBIMPE OYELEKE
Bernice Adebimpe Oyeleke is the founder of Deaf Nigerians Profile and Luminous Deaf Scholastic Initiative, in this short interview with Wole Adedoyin, the author of a novel titled “LUMINOUS “speaks on her life and writing
SYNW: WHY ARE YOU A POET?
BAO: I am not a real poet in the true sense of it, I do poetry as I draw inspiration from life itself.
SYNW: WHAT POETS DO YOU ADMIRE?
BAO: Rhythm poet, I think
SYNW: WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
BAO: Life
SYNW: TELL US ABOUT A NORMAL WORKING DAY…
BAO: Goes to office as a civil servant, from office to pick my two kids from school at about 4pm. return home into domestic chores. Sleep. But I do stay awake at midnight to complete some brain work.
SYNW: HOW DO YOU WRITE?
BAO: I write as I get inspiration.
SYNW: WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE TO AN ASPIRING POET?
BAO: Rapport with life, and when you get idea, sit and work on your idea. Idea comes in pieces. The whole comes together through hard work of focused thinking. Yet that little idea is the seed you need to grow.
SYNW: FINAL QUESTION (PROMISE!): DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR THE YET-TO-BE-PUBLISHED WRITERS READING THIS?
BAO: Writing is thinking and thinking is tough, don’t think that it will come easy, so when its tough is when it is forming
SYNW: TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR WRITING ROUTINE; WHAT’S A TYPICAL WRITING DAY FOR YOU?
BAO: I realize that committing myself to be accountable helps in writing. Otherwise, one may give up. For instance, the only novel I wrote, I announced on my facebook page that I was going to write per day throughout the month of June, then I achieved that and it became a book. The fact that there were people waiting to read me each day instills discipline and consistency. So also in my Deaf Nigerians profile publication, it is weekly and I know there are people waiting to read it.
SYNW: WHERE DO YOU WRITE FROM?
BAO: My home in Ibadan
SYNW: ON THIS TOPIC, WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE BUILD A PLATFORM AND GAIN READERSHIP?
BAO: I have a facebook page called Deaf Nigerians Profile and Luminous Deaf Scholastic Initiative, so also my personal facebook page from where I share my write ups. Occasionally, I look for online news platform to publish some of my works
SYNW: WEBSITE(S)?
BAO: None
SYNW: FAVORITE MOVIE?
BAO: I don’t have favourite
SYNW: BEST PIECE(S) OF WRITING ADVICE WE HAVEN’T DISCUSSED?
BAO: I don’t know
SYNW: SOMETHING PERSONAL ABOUT YOU PEOPLE MAY BE SURPRISED TO KNOW?
BAO: I am Deaf
SYNW: WHAT’S NEXT?
BAO: Maybe starting a school or taking my Deaf advocacy to another level.
PROFILE
Bernice Adebimpe Oyeleke was born on the 11th September, 1989 into the family of Pastor and Mrs L.A. Adekeye. She is the third child out of four children the union was blessed with.
She had her primary education at Adesola Nursery and Primary School, Alakuko, Lagos State. She proceeded to Ebenezer Comprehensive High School, Ijaiye Ojokoro where she completed both her junior and senior secondary school education.
She became deaf while awaiting the junior WAEC through the illness , Meningitis, she suffered from in June, 2002. Nevertheless, she carried on with her secondary education at the same regular school and completed it in 2005.
She commenced her first degree program at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan in September, 2007. She studied Special Education / Chemistry. She graduated with a CGPA of 6.7/7 as a first class graduate.
She had her masters degree on VC scholarship as a university scholar at the same University of Ibadan.
In 2014, she took up a Federal government appointment as Education officer under Federal Ministry of Education.
She got married to her heartthrob on Thursday, 3rd September, 2015.
She serves as National Treasurer of Deaf Teachers Association of Nigeria since 2015 till date. She also serves the same association in the capacity of Chairperson of School Competition Planning Committee.
She initiated the Deaf Nigerians Profile in September 2019, a medium through which she enlightens people about deafness, deaf education and sign language awareness through publishing interviews with people who are deaf but successful.
She founded Luminous Deaf Scholastic Initiative in 2019 to contribute to the development of Deaf education in Nigeria. The NGO has floated some educational and novel programs till date.
She writes for Inclusive news network on people with disabilities issues. She is the author of the novel, LUMINOUS, an eBook available for free download via selar.co/luminousbk.
She has facilitated in both virtual and physical program with Deaf students mostly as audience.
As a research student she has some papers on Deaf education to her credit
