NNPC/Chevron Hones Students’ Creative Skills with Arts Contest

Uchechukwu Nnaike

As part of efforts to promote creativity in the Nigerian child and use art to achieve patriotism about Nigeria from early stages of youth development, the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, has rewarded winners of the 2017 National Art Competition for Nigerian Secondary School Students.

This year’s edition with the theme ‘The Nigerian Spirit’ is the 12th in the series and it was intended to inspire and engender a sense of ownership and commitment to Nigeria, which aligns with the company’s corporate goals of promoting human and social development.

“The theme gives the students the opportunity to showcase the essence of what it means to be Nigerian and the attributes and qualities of the Nigerian spirit through artistic expressions. Promoting human and societal development.”

In the junior category, a JS 2 student of Redeemed People’s Academy, Jos, Plateau State, Chizoba Nwadike came first; a JS3 student of UNIBEN Demonstration Secondary School, Edo State, Anthony Umoru came second; while another JS3 student of Phoebestar Royalty School, Osun State came third.

In the senior category, an SS1 student of UNIBEN Demonstration Secondary School, Elliot Isokpan came first; an SS2 student of Owhe/Emevor Group of Schools, Delta State came second; while an SS2 student of UNIBEN Demonstration Secondary School, Daisy Oboigba came third. For their efforts the winners in both categories got a scholarship of N100,000 for the duration of their secondary education, while the first and second runners-up got N75,000 and N65,000 respectively for the duration of their secondary education.

In his remarks, the Chairman/Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria Mid-Africa Business Unit, Mr. Jeff Ewing, said for the company, the art competition is an enduring investment in education that helps students to think outside the box, move beyond boundaries and seek multiple ways to proffer solutions.

Ewing, who was represented by the General Manager Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, described art as a delightful means of self-expression. “It is a window into the human mind. It grants us access to abstract expressions of human thoughts impressed upon canvass and various forms of art.

“Art helps in mental, physical and creative language development of children. This points to the fact that the more we encourage these young ones to recreate their beautiful and thought-provoking imaginations in a visible form, the more they grow to become problem solvers for our society because problem-solving requires creative thinking.”

The Group General Manager, NAPIMS, Mr. Roland Ewubare, who commended NNPC/Chevron for organising the annual competition, said the project has contributed to an increase in participation in fine art among Nigerian students and a rising interest of the public to art appreciation.

To the winner, he said “it is time to celebrate your success. I congratulate you all for showcasing that you truly have ‘the Nigerian Spirit’ and that you know what it means to be a Nigerian. I have faith in you that you will continually excel in the field of art.”

On his part, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu stressed that to continually make headway in art as a nation “we must tutor our children to become creative thinkers and champions not just training them to become good employees. Hence we need a rich and enormous curriculum for art that exposes our children to all essential- fundamental knowledge they need that will help them make significant foot print in the field of art.”

He said the competition would stimulate the interest of art in the minds of “our champions” and broaden their minds, enabling them to be more creative.