Lagos – Chief Ernest Shonekan, former Head of Interim Government, on Saturday urged Nigeria Undergraduate Exhibition of Art (NUXART) to pay greater attention to works of art.
Shonekan, who made the call at the 9th NUXART in Lagos, said that art could enable them become entrepreneurs.
The theme of the exhibition is “Youth: Catalyst for National Transformation.“
He said that although he was not an artist but had passion for the works of art and always appreciated them.
“It is this passion for art that gets me enthused. Works of art is an intimate part of our culture and it helps a great deal to preserve the culture they represent.
“It is important for undergraduates to take the works of art seriously because it helps in revealing the sophistication of past civilizations,“ he said.
Shonekan said that there was no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria had a rich culture, noting: “as undergraduates trying to build your careers in the art, you can also reach any height you want so long as you are diligent and dedicated to it.“
He told them that their future after leaving the institutions of learning were entirely in their hand, pointing out that “as an undergraduate, you are the architect of your own future.“
The former Head of Interim National Government said there was an empirical fact that there was high unemployment rate in the country today, adding that exhibition like this was a practical proof that artists did not lack employment.
Shonekan said that works of art would enable the youthful artists to further interact among themselves and appreciate their colleagues globally.
He added that this could also make them self employed as well as exposed them and their works of art to the outside world.
Shonekan enjoined the undergraduates to diligently dedicate and apply themselves to the works of art so that they would reach ‘the horizon’ that they have set for themselves.
He prayed that what they were doing would become a globally recognised exhibition that would draw audience from far and wide to see and appreciate artists works of art.
In his welcome address, Dr Patrick Okpa, the President of Nigerian Arts Group (NAG), said that the same event had been staged in nine states in U.S.
Okpa said that the exhibition was established to encourage the initiatives of creative arts.
He said that students in creative arts had gone higher in every ramifications in the country and across the border. (NAN)
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Shonekan urges undergraduates to pay greater attention to works of art