Artists want churches to promote youth talent discovery, creativity

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter of Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) has called on churches to promote youth talent discovery and youth empowerment through visual art and other creative arts in the country.

The FCT Chairman of SNA, Mr Aderinkomi John, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the Sixth Edition of the Creo Art Exhibition in Abuja.

NAN reports that the art exhibition, which was initiated and organised by the Family Worship Centre in partnership with FCT SNA, aimed at promoting creative arts in the country

John emphasised the need for more worship places to emulate the Family Worship Centre’s initiative in complementing the government’s efforts on youth empowerment through promotion of creative arts in the country.

According to him, this initiative has over the years helped in taking many unemployed youths out of the street as well as making children and young people aspire to become artists.

“First of all, I want to thank the Family Worship Centre for always giving creative artists the opportunity to showcase their talents because in some other churches, they don’t do that.

“But this church deemed fit to allow us to showcase our talents so that people in the church and outside the church can see the artworks that we produce.

“I believe that by doing this, they give more opportunity for young people to have jobs because every year we hold this exhibition and more people are exhibiting their artworks and we do not just exhibit for show, we exhibit for sales.

“So, we are making money from it and we are expressing ourselves through it. We are letting the world know what we can do through this. So, the society is impacted too through the work of artists.”

The SNA boss, who described artwork as a means of communication, said the work of artists communicated the truth, theological truth to the society.

“As you can see, most of these artworks have their themes. This is the language that speaks and it is what the preachers preach on the Pulpit. It is what we are doing through our artworks.

“Artwork is a true evangelism and means of communication and sometime, it is meant for decorative purpose.

“For me, I can say that the exhibition has impacted more younger people coming to me because I have like eight of them learning under me.

“Some of them came from universities to do their industrial attachment in my studio. Some of them are doing entrepreneurship directly from me.
And just here alone, I have a studio space where I have sale girls and others working under me almost 12 of them.

“And it is just through exposure like this, their parents were able to see and very impressive with our artworks and say I have a son that is so restless and I will like you to help me teach him.

“And I take them without collecting any money and in the return, they grow up to become a good artists too and some of them are exhibiting their works here today.

“That is the only way I see one can help government to eradicate poverty and joblessness in the society.”

John also urged government at all levels to embark on advocacy by educating the youth to know that undergoing apprenticeship would work for them.

According to him, these days, our youths don’t want to learn work but the government needs to do much more of advertising and letting our youths know that going through apprenticeship will work for them.

“As artists, It will work for us too because we are there for them to train youths. So, if government can do aspect of alerting the youth not to just be restless any how and allow them to come to do apprenticeship, it will work and we will take them out of the street.

“We have many small hubs where we attract young people to come and learn artwork. We attract young ones, children to come around on Saturday for training. We have art club.

“Also, at exhibition like this, when we showcase our artworks, it also attracts some youths especially some of them that are creative.

“So, I believe that everybody can draw and become an artist but what you need is just to develop interest in it. And there is no way you pick up an interest except people see the artworks.

“When you see an artist working, your interest in art to become an artist grows and you want to be one which I believe everyone can become.”

The SNA boss said that the feedback from his trainees working home abroad was great, particularly a lady who travelled abroad.

“She is doing great and all of my trainees are doing great. I have not seen anyone that regretted for aspiring to become an artist rather than giving God the thanks and giving me thanks for allowing them to tap a little bit of what I have and by extension putting food on their tables.”

Mr Chike Emembo, Co Curator and Immediate Past Chairman, SNA FCT chapter, also described the art exhibition as laudable initiative, saying that the idea was to bring young people together to promote the visual art.

Emembo said, “As artists, our job is to curate the job and set an exhibition that is international standard, that is what we do here. I can say that this is most attended exhibition in the north by volume of people that come for this exhibition.

“We have recorded 2,000 participants and above during the exhibition. So, the Family Worship Centre gives a big platform to artists.

“Incidentally, the church has all kinds of creative artistes right from actors to videographers, photographers, visual artists and musicians, they are all gathered here.

“The centre takes an aspect of arts sector and build and promote it. That is what the show is all about.”

According to him, this exhibition is sustainable over the years because the participants are not only attending the exhibition but they buy our artworks.

“In fact, we have non christians that have come here to make purchases as well. Beyond the church community, people come from outside to buy as well. I must commend the Family Worship Centre on the way it supports its own project.

“We commend our facilitators of this laudable initiative particularly the Senior Pastor, Family Worship Centre, Pastor Sarah Omakwu and Pastor Ekong Ikiddeh, an Assistant Pastor in charge of Worship and Arts.

“Pastor Ikiddeh is the team lead of this initiative both the concept and art exhibition. I want to thank them for the resilience and sustainability of the project.

“I commend them for setting an example because many churches don’t this, it is a worthy example that other churches can emulate to promote creative industry in Nigeria.

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