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By Damilola Fatunmise
Olajumoke Opeyemi Oladimeji has always loved to express her passion for beauty through makeup, hairstyling, fashion and photography. But having developed interest in poetry during her secondary school days, she decided to be a muse for elegance, grandeur, glamour and all things beautiful.
In this interview, Olajumoke whose works include The Prettiest Girl In The Room, Scars Like Armour, Beyond The Broken Tooth, Beautiful is Many Levels Below You, Hair and A Thousand Falling Lilies, opened up on her latest collection, All Shades of Beauty in Colours and why she intends to keep appreciating beauty through creative writing. Enjoy it.
Tell us briefly about yourself.
I am Oladimeji Olajumoke Opeyemi. I was born on December 29, 1992. I’m from Owo, Ondo State but I currently live in Lagos. I had my primary education at Telesis International School, secondary education at Funmec International High School and earned a Bsc in Sociology from Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti. I’m happily married with a son.
Why did you choose to be a poet and not fiction writer?
I chose to be a poet and not fiction writer because when I was young, we were forced to memorise poems in school, and those beautiful words and rhythms always excite me. I always thought I would be a poet someday, which inspires me to write poems today.
How do you derive inspiration to write, and what actually inspired your latest anthology, All Shades of Beauty in Colours?
I derive inspiration from things around me such as nature, food, and just anything that catches my attention into appreciating the beauty of something. Then I put it into words.
Do you write in long hand or with computer?
As soon as I get inspiration, I write on my phone notepad, and further write with my computer.
Could you tell us the story behind your poem, Boys Always Lie? Are you indirectly narrating your experience of being lied to by guys?
Hmmm… that’s a long story but to cut it short, I would say boys have the most sugarcoated mouth ever. They tell the sweetest lies just to win you over; they tell you that you are the most beautiful girl they have ever seen. I have actually had an encounter with a boy who lied with his words.
Your poem, Beautiful is Many Levels Below You, sounds like you’ve been hurt by love. Have you ever been heartbroken?
Yes, I have been heartbroken in the past, but it helped me to see the beauty in me, and also helped me become a better version of myself.
How many bodies of work do you have till date and which is your favourite?
I have over five bodies of work and my favourite is All Shades of Beauty in Colours, because it has to do with appreciation of beauty, nature and true facts of life. I’m currently working on my next project, My Story, which I would like to share with the world.
What are some of the challenges you encounter as a writer?
One of my biggest challenges as a writer is that most people prefer to read fiction or non-fiction story rather than a poem. Another challenge is writer’s block, it can hit you anytime and you might get stuck with your book. However, these challenges do not stop me from writing more poems, because the beauty in the rhythm of words excites me.
Tell us more about your passion for makeup, hairstyling, fashion and photography?
My passion for hairstyling has always been from childhood, it’s a God-given talent that has always been part of me. I started from making my siblings’ hair, to making my friends’ hair in boarding school, and to learning it professionally; and it became my profession. I developed interest in fashion and photography during my university days; I love to style people for different occasions and take a good picture with the perfect angle and background. I love to see nature in my pictures such as the sky, trees, buildings and so on. That was how I developed my photography skills. However, I grew into taking pictures of people and things like buildings, foods, and anything I find captivating.
How supportive is your husband to your creative writing?
My husband is very caring and supportive, and he is very good with words. Sometimes I get my inspiration from him and sometimes he gives me my space and time to do my thing. He believes in people doing things that make them happy, he never deprives me of what makes me happy. We both express ourselves more with writing; we can be in the same house and write to each other like we are far away from each other. My husband has always supported everything I do, especially when it comes to creativity.
Do you think creative writing is self-sustaining in Nigeria?
I’d say for some people that have been writing for many years, yes; but for me, I’m still working hard to get to that position.
What’s next after All Shades of Beauty in Colours?
After All Shades of Beauty in Colours; I intend to write many more books, as I get inspired.
