Abuja, – Master Bitrus Godwin, student of Junior Secondary School (JSS) Pegi, Abuja, won the gold medal in the just-concluded 6th Korean Image Drawing Competition.
His work, titled `Masquerade’, a drawing of masquerades wearing Nigerian and Korean national colours, came top to clinch the gold award.
The award was presented to him at the Korean Cultural Centre in Abuja.
Other works that clinched the silver medals included `Festival’ by Owoicho Aisha of JSS Gwarinpa, `Royalty’ by Sumaiya Danladi of JSS Kabusa and `Mask’ by Jeremiah Ogbuoshi of JSS Kabusa.
The News News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 26 other student from 40 schools that participated in the competition got bronze and consolation prices respectively.
NAN also reports that some teachers from across the FCT that participated in the competition were also appreciated for their efforts and wished better luck next time.
Mr Kwon Yong-Ik, the Director of the Korean Cultural Centre (KCC), said the theme of the competition
was: “Social and Cultural Similarity between Nigeria and Korea.
“The competition is an educational collaboration between the two countries”, Yong-ik said.
He said Korean Cultural Centre will continue to develop and improve on the competition to make it an iconic focal point in the relationship between the two countries.
Meanwhile, the South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Noh Kyu-duk, said the competition had brought out the creativity in the students.
“The Korean Cultural Centre is not only designed to promote cultural education but to bring out the bounty of talents among the Nigerian youths.
“Winners should persevere in their sketching skills development in their effort to continue to do better.
“I thank FCT Universal Basic Education Board, teachers, judges and students that participated in the competition”, the ambassador said.
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Mrs Uche Onwugbofor, the Universal Basic Education Board Arts Coordinator, who represented the Chairman, Alhaji Umaru Ningi, said the competition had come to stay in schools across the FCT.
“This event has seen a gradual institutionalisation in our schools and its growth can be seen in the quality of works produced by the students.
“We pray and encourage the Korean Cultural Centre to continue to sustain the competition.
“However, the board would continue to support the programme in the best way it can”, he said.
Mr Sheyi Woweloju, an official of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, said since inception in 2010, the competition had attracted a lot of interest from students and residents.
According to him, the world is moving away from industrial age to creativity age.
“We are leaving the industrial age to creativity age, the creative industry is industry of the future.
“Students that won prices should see the sky as their beginning and they will definitely go far in their field of endeavour.’’
Teachers, parents and awardees were entertained to musical performances by Elevators, Idez, Rhythme and sax groups. (NAN)
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