Ibadan, Oyo State capital, is set to hold the 7th edition of the Young Artists Art Hub School Competition, in conjunction with National Museum of Unity, Aleshinloye, Ibadan.

The event, convened by Afro-Brazilian and award-winning female artist, Mrs. Olaide Turner-Moyet, will bring together 20 public and private secondary schools across Ibadan for a robust contest in visual arts, music, dance, poetry, crafts and oratory.

Addressing reporters, the convener said dignitaries expected at the event included Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Segun Olayiwola, his Culture and Tourism counterpart, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun and Mrs. Oriyomi Otuka, zonal director (Southwest) and curator of National Museum of Unity.

She said Chief Tunde Odunlade, a renowned professor and respected artist, would chair the event, while celebrated Ibadan-based artist, Mr. Omofemi Oluwole, takes spotlight as Artist of the Day. A media personality and correspondent with Prince 89.7FM, Olawale Ogunbusola, will anchor the event.

Mrs. Turner-Moyet says the competition serves as a cultural renaissance for younger generations, adding that the idea is to take p ride in Africanness, being Black.

“Music, drama, poetry, crafts, these are not just art forms for entertainment only, they are also vessels of our identity. This initiative is a continuum of ancestral tools for expressing and appreciating life.”

She said the initiative had been a decade in the making, aiming to instil cultural pride and continuity through creative expression.

Turner-Moyet stressed the essence of socialisation, networking and appreciating innateness, adding that the event would support participants’ exposure and social networking beyond physical contacts.

The Young Artists Arthub Competition continues to stand as a beacon of cultural education, innovation and creative growth for the youth of Ibadan and beyond.