I WASN’T expecting to win the competition. “My painting was all about the tree which stands for the law of impunity, and the land stands for the rule of law where things are meant to grow but the law of impunity just uprooted from the ground and started stepping on all those things that are meant to grow like education, economy, banks, aviation which are meant to be growing to make Nigeria better. But impunity is waxing stronger over them so that they can’t grow.” These were the words of eleven year-old Anjola Olarenwaju, a student of Master’s Hand Academy Badagry who emerged the winner of the third edition of the Vision of the Child painting competition, a component of the Lagos Black Heritage Festival.

In an exquisite gala night, the organisers crowned 11 year-old Anjola Olarenwaju, winner and she went home with the N250,000 cash prize for her outstanding painting which vividly and impressively captured the theme of the painting competition “The Rule Of Law And The Law Of Impunity”.

The second position went to Okey Ogumjiofor Joseph (Apostolic Faith Secondary School Anthony Village): N200,000 while third position – Hodonu Mawuton Mayowa (Beulah Comprehensive College Badagry): N180,000.

According to the festival consultant, Professor Wole Soyinka the theme was a deliberate effort to stretch the creativity of these young talents. “When we embarked on this project, some thought that the theme was very challenging and that we were pushing the children too far. From time to time, we give them an opportunity to express themselves in a unique way and to hone their creativity skills. The theme is indeed challenging but sometimes you give them a near impossible theme. It is deliberate because it stimulates them to do more and they have proved that they are equal to the task.”

The well attended event had prominent personalities such as the Lagos state commissioner for tourism and inter-governmental relations, Disun Holloway, Hon. Tola Wewe, executive director of regional business of Diamond Bank Victor Ezenwoko, HRH Erelu Abiola Dosunmu among others.