The Lagos State government has unveiled its maiden edition of the Eko Arts and Crafts Competition for secondary schools and Tertiary Institutions in the State.
The initiative is to foster creativity among young people, encourage entrepreneurship in the creative sector, promote cultural heritage through modern and traditional artistic expressions, develop genuine skills that will support sustainable economic growth and innovation in Lagos.
At a news conference at Alausa, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Ms Damilola Ayinde-Marshal, said the competition was designed to discover, nurture, and showcase the immense talent that exists in secondary schools and tertiary institutions across Lagos.
According to Ms Ayinde-Marshal, Art is more than just aesthetics but a storytelling for Lagos cultural heritage preservation for future generations, through paintings, drawings, sculptures, and crafts.
She encouraged school administrators, parents, teachers, and guardians to motivate their wards and students to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in the competition for global recognition.
“This competition has been carefully designed to discover, nurture, and showcase the immense talent that exists in our secondary schools and tertiary institutions across Lagos. As we are all aware, the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s administration outlines clear priorities for advancing the development of Lagos State. Under the Fifth Pillar, Entertainment, and Tourism, our Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has continued to demonstrate his unwavering commitment to harnessing creativity, empowering young people, and positioning Lagos as the cultural and entertainment hub of Africa”.
“This Eko Arts and Crafts Competition is one of the strategic interventions that will bring this vision to life”
“We recognize that within our classrooms are young artists, sculptors, and creative thinkers whose gifts must not only be encouraged but also refined, celebrated, and projected to the world”.Indeed, classroom learning provides the foundation for intellectual growth. However, there is also the need to create platforms where creativity can flourish, where hidden skills can be brought to light, and where passion can be transformed into productive careers. This is what this competition seeks to achieve”
Ms Ayinde-Marshal reiterated the commitment of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu’s administration to youth empowerment, tourism development and promotion of arts and crafts, to position Lagos as the creative heartbeat of the country and Africa.
The Arts and Crafts Competition is open to all students in Lagos secondary schools and Tertiary Institutions as participants can register through the website https://ekoschoolsartsandcrafts.com
Reporting by Yemisi Dada