Nigeria Content Online

The African Arts
Foundation (AAF) on May 25, 2010 organised a press briefing at its
headquarters in Ikoyi, to announce plans for the third edition of the
National Arts Competition, a partnered initiative with Nigerian
Breweries Limited.

Omotayo Adeola,
project coordinator for the foundation, opened the conference by
introducing key organisers and participants such as Zainab Ashadu,
Assistant Director/ Curator, AAF; Vivian Ikem, External Communications
Manager, Nigerian Breweries; Tony Usidamen, Communications Manager,
Dana Group; Oliver Enwonwu, Chairman, Society of Nigerian Artists,
Lagos Chapter; Susann Voigt, Programme Assistant, Goethe Institut; and
winners of last year’s edition of the competition – Richardson Ovbiebo
and Olayinka Stephens Sangotoye, first prize winners, Sculpture and
Photography categories respectively.

Assistant Director
AAF, Zainab Ashadu, unveiled the theme of this year’s competition as
‘Chronicles of a great nation at 50’, and proceeded to discuss the
peculiarities of this edition. According to her, there would be no age
restriction and the prize money would be increased, with the first
prize being N1.5 million, and N1 million and N500 thousand respectively
for the second and third place winners.

Since the
competition is billed to occur nationwide, Ashadu mentioned that
another press conference would be held in the eastern part of the
country. The panel of judges comprises accomplished artists and art
critics, and the deadline for entries is set for June 15. A workshop
will be organised for finalists to enable them hone their skills.

Vivian Ikem,
External Communications Manager for Nigerian Breweries, explained that
the initiative is the company’s way of performing its corporate social
responsibility by investing in the arts, while Tony Usidamen extolled
the initiative and pledged the company’s support as the official
airline of the competition. Other partners and sponsors include Goethe
Institut and Society of Nigerian Artists.

Lauding the initiative, Enwonwu said, “Art can be used for socio-economic development and to tackle social issues.”

Past winners of the competition, who were present at the conference,
expressed their appreciation for the project. According to Sangotoye,
he had been initially discouraged at the prospect of studying
photography as an undergraduate degree in the university; however,
since winning first prize in the photography category of the
competition, he has been able to procure a camera – the one he used
during the competition belonged to his lecturer – and has enjoyed
immense opportunities consequently, such as the privilege of working
with the British Council earlier this year.