‘How power grid collapse inspired me to win art contest’

The winner of the Art Explosion Contest, Nnemeka Enejere, has said he was inspired to create the winning piece by the power grid collapse in Nigeria.

The student of Premier International School Abuja clinched the cash prize of N100,000 and a Samsung Tab A7 Lite ahead of other secondary school students in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to emerge the winner of the second edition of the Art Explosion contest for students.

• It’s tough being a female humanitarian photographer – Kehinde Kadijat Kadiri
• 2023 presidency: Rising voter apathy may affect Igbo chances

“When the power grid in Nigeria recently collapsed, I started looking for a solution. I had to look in the encyclopaedia to find power solutions. I found sustainable renewable energy and I decided to use it as my theme because that is the future I see. I already knew how to connect wires, LED lights and propellers from my STEM Club so it was quite easy to include it in my work,” he said.

He said winning the contest would help his career goal of being an inventor, “Every artwork is unique in its own way. If you keep trying, one day you will make it to the top like I did because I tried the first time and I didn’t win, but I wasn’t discouraged,” he said while encouraging other students.

The Programs Director of Art Explosion, Agoreyo Oke Armstrong, said it is an annual art contest for emerging student artists in Nigeria that aims to develop and expose the artistic skills of talented pupils of both public and private schools.

He said the second edition was themed ‘The Future I see’, adding that over 60 entries were received.

Head of School, Premier International School Abuja, Charles Husseini, said the school’s management was excited to host the grand finale of the contest.

“Our school is at the forefront of raising talents in arts. The response of students was very encouraging.  In fact, it beats our expectations and that goes to show the love these young talents have for arts and the fire that is burning in them to explore available opportunities,” he said.

Joe King Treasure from SASCON International School Abuja was the first runner up and got N50,000 and a Samsung Tab A7 lite while the second runner up, Christopher Nnaji, from Premier International School Abuja, won N25,000 and a Samsung Tab A7 lite. 

The contest was organised by Premier International School and sponsored by Franklin Covey, Restral and KoliaAngel.