Mr Mike Sangster Managing Director, Total E & P Nigeria Ltd., has advised Nigerian students to explore their artistic talents and stay creative, promising to support them through various initiatives.
Sangster gave the advice on Thursday at the grand finale of the Palette and Stroke Art Painting Competition with the theme: “COVID-19: The World Reset” in Lagos.
The competition was organised by the National Museum, Lagos, in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Total E & P.
Twenty schools participated in the two-day competition which started on Wednesday at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.
Sangster, represented by Mr Ajukwura Wokomah, General Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility, Total E & P, said: “We encourage you to be creative, make more than a
water mark on your palettes and stroke your way to a great future unconstrained by COVID-19.
“Arts as well as its value for positive change is what Total has identified with over the years.
“The choice of the theme shows how dynamic, topical, broad and bold the competition is in its intent and how it seeks to challenge the minds of our young artists.
“I enjoin the students to always seek the positives and opportunities in every situation; all the participants in this competition are already on the path to
positive social evolution,” he said.
In her remarks, Omotayo Adeboye, Curator, National Museum, Lagos, said that the students’ painting was around the theme to see how conversant
they were informed about the happenings across the world.
Adeboye urged the students to further explore arts in their various corners after the competition as art encompassed every facet of life.
“COVID-19 pandemic was the event that informed our choice of the theme.
“COVID-19 pandemic is a very important event to consider in all areas of life whether social, cultural or economy in which the influence has been felt.
“We appreciate the efforts and kind gesture of our sponsoring partners, NNPC and Total, who in spite of all constraints posed by COVID-19 pandemic,
still ensured that the second edition of the competition hold,” she said.
Also, Abiodun Omolayo, Chief Executive Officer, Omolayo Art Gallery, who educated the students on painting techniques and principles, urged
government at all levels to pay serious attention to art teachers in schools.
Omolayo said that Art teachers should be exposed to frequent training to enable them to impact positively on the students and
improve in their painting skills.
“We need to focus more on training the Art teachers and not only the Science teachers,” he said.
The Junior category, Tolulope Oluwagbamila from Elimshire College bagged first position; Ada Ezeoke from Attwool Schools came second and Abikoye Oluwasemilore from Queens College, came third.
Oguntuashe Seun from Igbobi College, Yaba, emerged fourth and Opere Wareez from Methodist High School took the fifth position.
For the Senior Category, Okechukwu Akachukwu from Kings College emerged the overall winner, Muoneke Michelle from Marywood College took second position, Lisa Okoduwa from Phidel Academy got came third, Adegoke Oluwapelumi from Igbobi College (fourth position), while Awe Gideon from CMS Grammar School got the fifth position.
The winners got free one year art training vouchers worth N450, 000 from Omolayo Art Gallery, while other participating schools got consolation prizes.
The winners in the various categories were given new laptops and iPads.
