NGA prods children on visual creativity

THIS year’s (2022) children’s day may have come and gone but the sweet memories will continue to remain in the minds of children, parents and guardians  who were opportune to attend the children day art exhibition and competition organised the National Gallery of Art (NGA) Enugu Station at their premises in Enugu. The programmme was thrilling, captivating, enlightening and exciting.

  Pupils and students selected from primary and secondary schools in Enugu engaged in artworks exhibition and competition .The schools that participated were University of Nigeria Secondary School, Enugu Campus and its primary school, international Nursery and Primary School, Miketery College, Trans- Ekulu, Enugu, Amazing Grace Secondary School and Calvery Foundation international School, Enugu. ltwasa talent hunt in visual art and the children did their best. Their art works were exhibited in the gallery of NGA where art juries gathered and selected artworks that attracted first, second and third positions in both categories of primary and secondary schools. Prizes were also presented to winners.

  It was an enormous work for the art juries of which one of them was Head of Department, Curatorial Services, Francis Ejiofor, a well- known artist in the south east.

  Eventually, the first prize, secondary school category went to Godwin Ngene of Amazing Love lnternational School.He is in SS2.The student went home with a beautiful bicycle valued at over N100,000.

  This star prize was donated by a fellow in visual art,in the person of be emeritus professor El Anatsui. He is a world renowned artist.Other winners are: Chibueze Princess Chinaza,SS1, from Lady lbiam Girls Secondary School and Obuka Olaedochukwu,SS2,UNN Secondary School, Enugu Campus, who clinched second and third prizes respectively.

  In the primary school category, Ngwu David of UNN Primary School, Enugu Campus took first position while Peter Nwankwo and JephthaOlanta from lnternational Nursery and Primary School, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu and Miketerylnternational School, Trans- Ekulu, Enugu,came second and third respectively.

  They were given prizes .However, the art teachers that accompanied the pupils and students were not left out in receiving of prizes.

Nigerian Breweries Plc donated some of the prizes.

  It was prizes galore as about 10 consolation prizes went to some pupils and students.The prizes were to encourage the children in area of visual art.

  The theme of the 2022 Children Day Art Competition was: Insecurity; A   Threat to National Development.

  Virtually all the artworks depicted insecurity in the nation.

ln his speech at the occasion, the Director-General,NGA,Chief lvaraEbeten, noted that the event was one of the mandates of NGA where children are gathered every year to produce artworks that conform to a given theme in a competitive environment.

  According to him: “This is a way of encouraging children to excel in visual art which can make them to be self reliant in future”.The theme, he observed was apt and timely as it reflects the security situation in the country.

  The chairman of the occasion and visual artist of high repute, Dr Okay lkenegbu, urged children to always be creative, adding that hard work and resilience pay a lot.

  He commended the children on the artworks displayed but called on the art teachers to put more effort in guiding them as far as fine art is concerned. He also promised to make donation of prizes in subsequent editions .

  The Zonal Coordinator, South East, Mrs Vera Chijioke, urged children not to lose the nation’s artistic ideologies. She commended the management of NGA for giving the children opportunity to show case their creativity.

  In her opening remarks, the Curator/Head of Station, Mrs Pat Nkwocha, expressed gratitude to individuals and firms that assisted NGA, Enugu Station to make the children’s day a memorable one.

  She thanked El Anatsui, Elder k.U. Kalu, Dr Okay lkenegbu and Dr Ayo Adewunmi.

  Nkwocha also extolled the virtues of Managing Director, National Light Newspaper, Sir Chuka  Nnabuife ,a fellow in visual art whose newspaper has been giving NGA coverage.

  Children were entertained with drama, music, food and drinks.