WELCOME TO THE KEFFI SCRIBE

John Stevenson, The Keffi Scribe, is a father, husband and lover of art and culture, with a fascination for jazz.

John has over 25 years experience in corporate communications, eight of which have been spent in UK higher education. He has also been a print and broadcast journalist in Barbados and the UK.

‘Clear, concise and articulate thought expressed in words will swiftly grab the attention of a discerning reader.’

The Keffi Scribe. Imagery by Agenda Brown at: www.visualmarvelry.com

WHO IS THE KEFFI SCRIBE?

I have spent eight years in higher education communicating the research and expert commentary of legal educators, computer scientists, mathematicians and engineers.

My international professional experience spans working as a correspondence processor in Israel, preparing advertising and promotional copy for blue-chip clients (including Virgin Atlantic and Texaco) in Barbados, to free-lancing with Voice of Barbados (as host of a weekly jazz radio programme for five years) the BBC World Service, The Guardian, The Independent, The Express, and Caribbean Intelligence.

Please visit this page to read my recent jazz reviews and interviews.

I am motivated by excellent fiction, non-fiction and poetry  – books like James Baldwin’s ‘The Fire Next Time’, Kamau Brathwaite’s Black + Blues, Yaa Gyasi’s ‘Homegoing’ and William Faulkner’s ‘The Sound and the Fury’. The artistry of Romare Bearden, Roy De Carava, Sultan Stevenson (my son), Florestine Perrault Collins, Agenda Brown, John Coltrane and Billie Holiday also inspires me and acts as a creative spur.

I am impassioned by the great promise of the younger generations, and I assist in mentoring young men as part of the Amos Bursary and Hope in Tottenham charities in London.

Ethiopian Airlines: one of the many airlines adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

CASE STUDY: LINUS BAUER

How can the airline industry recover after COVID-19?

I have worked alongside Visiting Lecturer and Senior Aviation Consultant, Linus Bauer, to position him as a commentator on aviation issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

My interview with Linus has been translated into French and Italian (appearing in Forbes Italia).

His commentary on the future of ultra long-haul flight has appeared in various industry trade publications including Anna Aero, Airline Ratings, Simple Flying and Australian Aviation.

TESTIMONIALS

“
Colin BabbAuthor, journalist and photographer

“I worked with John Stevenson in the Marketing and Communications Department at City University. During our time working together, I was always impressed by his first-class writing and communication skills, and his diligent approach to work, which blended with his engaging personality. John is also an experienced broadcaster and music critic which further illustrates his wide-ranging skills base. John was a pleasure to work with.”

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Farjad FaridManaging Director, Check Networks

“I have known John for many years and have found him to be highly professional, a quick learner who is well versed with current affairs. He is also an excellent quality writer. I have no hesitation in recommending him to anyone.”

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Adel DarwishWriter, Journalist, based in the UK House of Commons

“I really recommend John, he has been doing an excellent job meeting tough deadlines.”

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Agenda BrownVisual Storyteller and Photographer

“I have had the pleasure of working with John for some years and would definitely recommend that you run your creative project by him. Attention to detail and an empathetic ear will be just a couple of the tools he will use to make your work together shine.”

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Professor Muttukrishnan RajarajanDirector, Institute for Cyber Security City, University of London.

“John is a very talented individual. He has assisted me over the years to promote my research in Cyber Security and Network Engineering to the wider community through his excellent writing skills. What I admire most about John is his ability to translate sometimes boring scientific and technical information into exciting articles that the layman can understand.”

Staff room and clock tower at Government College Keffi.

WHY KEFFI SCRIBE?

KEFFI
Keffi is the name of the northern Nigerian town where I attended secondary school. Government College Keffi, one of Nigeria’s foremost citadels of education, was the institution where I developed a love for words and story-telling through countless works of non-fiction, novels and poetry from Africa and beyond.

SCRIBE
My 29-year career in media and communications has encompassed music journalism (Jazz and African music), broadcasting (as a producer and presenter with Voice of Barbados and the BBC World Service), advertising and PR copywriting for corporate clients such as Texaco and Virgin Atlantic, and science communication, as a senior communications officer.

LETS TALK…

To discuss how we can work together please call me on: 07958 077 620 or fill in the contact form below.
More examples of writing for previous projects are available on request.

“We cannot be comfortable with whatever we achieve in our lifetimes without preparing future and younger generations to inherit better material, educational and spiritual circumstances.”