Eleven-year-old pupil emerges winner in painting contest

It was a harvest of talent as pupils drawn from private primary schools in Lagos State gathered to participate in the maiden edition of Yojus Painting final competition.

In the contest entitled “Stories of my holiday,” 11-year-old Victor Oledu of Lolly-Kay Nursery/Primary School, Oshodi, emerged the overall winner, beating no fewer than 60 other pupils to win the painting trophy.

Ten-year-old Ohikena Iruafemi of Rona Kings and Queens School, Oke-Afa, Isolo, came second; while 10-year-old Praise Omowunmi of Jaden International School, Maza-Maza, took the third position.

Ranona, a member of the Olam Group and manufacturers of Yojus fruit drink, instituted the trophy to celebrate talented pupils in painting.

Speaking on the occasion, a visual art instructor, Mr. Timothy Olaniyan, who hailed the firm for instituting the competition, also lauded the pupils for their artistic skills.

He noted that the pupils’ originality and creativity, colour combination and harmonisation, space management as well as field interpretation were amazing.

Olaniyan, who served as one of the judges in the contest, said the pupils’ display of skills, greatly surpassed expectations of the judges.

He said, “It was difficult to get the best 10. The works produced by the pupils are beyond primary school level.

“We were there, we were arguing, we wanted to know who did this, who did that? So, it shows the creativity in them. No private teacher is teaching them.

“So, the kids displayed that in-born creativity that God has put in them.”

Urging parents to encourage their gifted children in the arts to pursue their dreams, Olaniyan stressed that the subject was as important as science.

According to him, the future of painting is bright, especially with what he has seen the pupils do at the contest.

“In the future, the profession is going places. Because there is nothing you are doing in life that will not involve arts. Yojus is projecting into the future of these kids right from this tender age which is very good for them,” he said.

The Research and Production Planning Manager of Yojus, Mr. Sidhartha Samal, who later spoke to our correspondent, said the company would take the campaign across the nation soon.

Samal, who represented the company on the occasion, noted that he was impressed with the performance of the pupils.

He explained that the choice of painting as the platform was because of the creativity it inspired in children.

“The reason why we chose painting is because Yojus is a brand which is a fun brand. So we want to get associated with something which brings that creativity, fun, colour in a child’s life,” he said.