Who is Amife Sabatina?
Amife Sabatina is a highly creative 22-year old who lives in Lagos, Nigeria. Her first book, ‘Little Words’, is a collection of prose and poetry on loving and feeling deeply.
As a person, Amife loves learning about the world, reading books, and being presented with new ideas that expand her mind. She finds a lot of joy in creating things with her hands and being in the outdoors. At university, she studied mass communication and as a result, is passionate about storytelling.
Her long-term goal is to become a problem solver in her community someday. In the future, she sees herself writing stories and scripts that impact people’s lives positively.
What is your book about?
‘Little Words’ is what I like to call my little loves and feelings, which I know a lot of other people have in common. It is the human condition, written in a way that says you are not alone and there is hope.
When I wrote this book, I really did feel like it could appeal to anyone and everyone because I was writing from the heart. That is one of the beauties of poetry: being able to communicate your feelings, experiences and life lessons in a way that is powerful and capable of moving other people, no matter who they are or what they’ve gone through.
The book would be appreciated by anyone experiencing a range of feelings in their lives such as loneliness, struggles with self-love, anxiety, ageing or heightened emotions. It contains comforting and uplifting words that a reader can always go back to when they need it.
What was the inspiration behind your book?
My main inspiration comes from my love for the magic of stories and words; which has been with me since I was old enough to read a book. I had always hoped that I would one day write a book that would carry that magic and inspire other people; so writing ‘Little Words’ was a fruition of that for me.
Secondly, I struggled a lot coming into my adult years. I started to see the world differently and it took some time before I learnt to accept it. I found ways to thrive and when I finally put my feelings together, I wanted to share it with the world and with people who might be struggling as well.
If you had to name the values which guide you as a person, which would they be?
First, I would say one value that guides me is living intentionally. Every day I think about how I can spend my time intentionally doing something that matters, or doing something that contributes to who I want to become.
I also value love and connection. I prioritise the time I spent with people I love and people that matter to me, and I prioritise, connecting even with new people and new things. So I would say those three things guide my life a lot.
What is typical of your birth city that you embrace?
Most of what inspires me and what I embrace about Lagos is its people and their ambitions. It is a busy, bustling city. Everyone is always moving or up to something and it encourages you to want to be somewhere, contributing to things as well. I like how that keeps me active. I definitely love the city.
Have you done any volunteer work? How did this experience prepare you for/complement your current job?
I have not volunteered for a charitable organisation, but I have previously volunteered for a travel company to curate their African travel stories. I loved how it exposed me to other cultures and cities. I would definitely say that it has provided some texture for my writing.
When was the last time that you were touched by a client’s reaction?
I had someone reach out to me who had read some articles on my blog. She expressed how much she liked my words and writing, and how she thought I was doing amazing. It was clear to me that she saw and appreciated the heart of the writings on my blog. This reaction also had great timing because I was a month away from publishing my first book, Little Words, and I was having a really tough time. Receiving that message was uplifting for me.
Any exciting news about your business?
The most exciting thing for me right now is that I’m already working on my next book, which is going to be a fictional book. I’m eager for this new project because fictional writing is an area of writing I’m also very passionate about. I’m literally counting down the days till it goes to publishing!
Who would you like to connect with to grow your business?
I would love to connect with publishing agents, professionals or companies, as I am open to collaborating with the right parties for my next book. It would also welcome opportunities to perform at open mics, attend writing residencies or workshops, join writing organizations as a contributing writer or volunteer.I would appreciate invites to spaces where I can meet and network with fellow writers and established professionals in the industry.
I would equally like to connect with readers who love reading heartwarming poetry, fictional stories and candid blog articles on life, growth and humans. I have a website www.amifeoluwa.com where I publish articles and stories weekly, and new eyes are always welcome there!
You can connect with me on Instagram. You can also reach out to me through the contact form on my website www.amifeoluwa.com
You can purchase my book on Amazon here.
If you enjoyed Amife Sabatina‘s interview, you will probably like Lydia Cutler‘s as well!
This interview was conducted by Lucie Cunningham from Tell Them Well Communications in September 2022. Lucie is a freelance CV writer and web copywriter in Glasgow with over 10 years of community project management. She maintains a list of UK charities serving women and or girls. She has lived in France, England, The USA, the Netherlands and is currently based in Scotland.