The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing young creative talents as winners emerged at the grand finale and prize presentation ceremony of the Eko Schools Arts and Crafts Competition 2.0 held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Bopo Oyekan-Ismaila, described the competition as a platform designed to discover, nurture and showcase the artistic abilities of students across the state.
She said the competition, themed “This is Lagos,” challenged participants to creatively interpret the identity, culture, resilience, innovation and diversity of Lagos through various artistic expressions.
According to her, the competition attracted 489 registrations, with 132 participants eventually submitting entries from schools across the five divisions of Lagos State and tertiary institutions. The contest featured categories including painting, drawing, sculpture, beadwork, textile design, leatherwork, digital art and upcycling.
Oyekan-Ismaila commended the participants for their creativity and originality, noting that the quality of submissions demonstrated the immense potential of young Lagosians in the creative sector.
“Today is not merely a competition finale; it is a celebration of creativity, innovation, culture and the boundless potential of young Lagosians. Every artwork tells a unique story of imagination, dedication, hard work and passion,” she said.
She also praised teachers, school administrators, parents, judges and development partners for their contributions to the success of the initiative.
The Permanent Secretary stressed that the creative industry has become a major driver of economic growth and employment, assuring participants that the state government would continue to support arts education, skills development, mentorship programmes and platforms that encourage youth creativity.
She also acknowledged the initiator of the competition, former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Damilola Ayinde-Marshall, for creating a platform that continues to open opportunities for young artists across the state.
At the end of the competition, Goodness Popoola of Lagos State University of Education emerged first in the tertiary category, while Abdul Rahman Saheed of Lagos State University of Science and Technology and Boton Aina Samuel of Lagos State University of Education placed second and third respectively.
In the senior secondary school category, Ajayi Pascal Maugbe of Methodist Senior High School emerged winner, ahead of Makinde Opeyemi Abraham of Millennium Senior Secondary School and Akinola Oluwatobi of Sanggo Senior Secondary School.
For the junior secondary school category, Mufutau Aishat Opeyemi of Clegg Girls Junior High School clinched first position, while Orungbamila Oluwalonimi Esther of Ikotun Junior High School and Saheed Khadijat Remilekun of Community Junior Grammar School, Akowonjo, finished second and third respectively.
