By Prisca Sam-Duru

People grief in different ways. For Pastor Onyekwere Nnaekpe, the establishment of a foundation for budding artists in memory of his son, Mr. Chima Victor Nnaekpe, was not only a way of mourning the loss of the lovely lad, but also, to keep his dream alive.

Due to Chima’s passion for the visual arts, the Foundation is now sponsoring visual arts competition in secondary schools.

This year, the Chima Victor Award for the Best Graduating Student in Visual Arts, sponsored by the Chima Victor Foundation for Budding Artists, held in memory of Chima, a 2008 graduate of Dansol High School who died in a motor accident on July 26, 2020.

Chima had a deep passion for the visual arts, as some of his Art teachers in Dansol would testify, even though he later studied Economics at Covenant University, Ota and worked with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria as a commercial officer before his demise.

Interestingly, The Chima Victor Award for the Best Graduating Student in Visual Arts was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in 2021 and has since been endorsed by the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA).

During the award ceremony, Miss Pearl Evans-Akere, one of the graduating students of Dansol High School, Ikeja, Lagos, for her talent and creativity, won the maiden edition of The Chima Victor Award for Best Graduating Student in Visual Arts.

The award presentation was part of the 27th Valedictory/Thanksgiving Service by Dansol High School.

Presenting the award to Evans-Akere at the colourful event held recently at the school’s premises, Secretary to the Board of Trustees, Chima Victor Foundation for Budding Artists, Dr Onyekachi Nnaekpe, congratulated Evans-Akere and urged her not to relent in her effort.

“It is important to note that while in the university, he never lost interest in visual arts which was evident in the many comics he passionately made (most of which are yet to be published) and in the various fantastic artistic ideas he had,” said Chima’s father, Pastor Onyekwere Nnaekpe. 

“He had a big dream to make a lasting impact in the visual arts, most especially in the comic book world, but that dream was cut short before his sudden departure.

“So the main objective of the foundation is to ensure that, that dream is realised by discovering and encouraging specially talented budding artists in Nigerian schools – students who have the potential to become giants in the Arts, even beyond the shores of Nigeria. May God help us keep Chima’s dream alive in Jesus’ name,” he added.

Highlights of the event include dance performances by Dansol Cultural Troupe, Crowning of Miss Excellence, Alumni Induction, presentation of prizes/awards to three best students in Yoruba Language, Visual Arts, English Language, Music, Literature-In-English, Dyeing and Bleaching, Civic education, Book Keeping, Mathematics, Physics, Agricultural Science, Biology, Computer, and other subjects, respectively, as well as Farewell Song by Dansol School Choir.