The Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) on Thursday harnessed and spurred children’s creativity through a talent hunt, held in commemoration of the Day of the African Child.The talent hunt event had students from over 10 schools compete in traditional chants, saxophone, talking drum, poetry, piano, folklore, comedy, set drum and cultural dance performances.
The programme with the theme “Harnessing The Creative Talent of the African Child” was held in Lagos.
The participating students presented rib-cracking comedies, soul-searching poetries, interesting set drum performances and all.
Hon. Oluwabunmi Amao, Director-General, CBAAC, during the programme said that the talent hunt programme was deliberately held to harness children’s talents.
Amao noted that as the day of the African Child was instituted to create awareness on the plight of the African Child, it was also necessary to celebrate the bravery and ingenuity of the African child.
She said as it was known that creativity drives the world economy, there was great need to catch children young to properly harness their potential.
” It is our belief in CBAAC that providing an avenue that nurtures, promotes and enhances the creative talent of the African child was key in preparing them for a better and brighter future.
” The centre has made the day of the African child one of its flagship programmes to be celebrated annually with a talent hunt.
”The initiative will continue to serve as a platform where children can develop their God given talent, showcase their creative skills, mingle and exchange ideas with their peers and air their views on issues that affect their wellbeing,” she said.
Amao advised the participating students to always take every opportunity to develop their talent which was capable of enriching them at the long run.
Dr Sheyi Kehnny, Associate Professor of Music, University of Lagos, who was the head of jury for the programme announced the winners for each category of the competition.
He advised the students not to allow their academics to hinder them from developing your creative ideas.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the schools that participated in the talent hunt included Aunty Ayo International school, Ikoyi; Dowen College, Lekki; Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba; Golden Anchor Group of Schools, Yaba; Iiogbo Junior High School, Ebute-Meta and Mary Anne College, Lagos Island.
Others were: Masterpiece College, Ayoninujesu; Christ the Redeemers Secondary School, Gbagada; STC College, Ojuelegba; De Basic Innovation International School; Top Grade Secondary School, Surulere and Queens College, Yaba.
For each category of the competition, the children were rewarded.
Those with first position were given N100,000, the second position got N80,000 while those with third position were given N50,000.
Each of the participating students was also given a certificate of participation.
Sofiat Olaide, a 6-year-old Nigeria drummer steal the show with mind-blowing performance
Meanwhile, a six-year-old gan-gan drummer, Sofiat Olaide, on Thursday thrilled Nigerians during her drum performance in Lagos.
Olaide performed during the commemoration the Day of the African Child, organised by the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), held, in Lagos.
The six-year-old who is in primary one, performed solely and at another time, performed with the first female gan-gan drummer, Aralola Olumuyiwa (Ara).
Morenikeji Olaide, Young Olaide’s mother, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said her daughter began drumming at the age of three and decided to enroll her in a drumming school when she was four years old.
She said she noticed her daughter’s interest in drumming at the age of three when she would always drum at her own volition in the house.
According to her, this drew her attention to the fact that her daughter’s talent in drumming should be futher developed with the engagement of a professional drummer.
” Sofiat drums at her own volition right from when she was three years. I discovered her interest and talent in that and decided to enroll her in a drumming school where she goes after school.
” Her instructor keeps encouraging me due to her improvement in class.
“I look forward to her being like Ara, the first female drummer in Africa,” she said.
Young Olaide told NAN that she just found herself loving and playing drum. She said it is a gift from God.
She said she would continue improving her skills on drumming, remain focused and be a great figure to reckon on when it comes to drum performance.
Mr Samson Adeleke, Olaide’s drum instructor, descibed her as an intelligent and focused little girl.
Adeleke said in the next five years, the world would be marvelled at the young Olaide’s prowess in drumming as she learns at a very high speed.
“Sofiat pays serious attention in class and picks whatever she is taught quickly without re-emphasising it.
“This trait also amazes me and it encourages me to teach at her pace.
“ Asides that, she is always at alert to learn.
“She performs extraordinarily well compared to her peers and she has gone ahead of the syllabus due to her fast pace of understanding everything she is taught,” she said.
