By Jumoke Olaitan
A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Lola Cater Foundation, has trained no fewer than 150 children and youths in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on creativity, cultural education and innovation.
Mrs Ololade Ogunnubi, founder and Executive Director of the foundation, stated this at the “Naija Colors: The Young Creators Odyssey Programme”, held on Monday in Abuja.
Ogunnubi said the initiative was aimed at nurturing the next generation of leaders and innovators to support Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
The programme, themed “Express, Create and Belong”, brought together children and youths aged between eight and 18 years from different parts of the FCT.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants were exposed to practical activities and interactions with professionals in the creative industry.
Ogunnubi described the programme as a platform designed to help young people discover and develop their creative talents.
According to her, the initiative seeks to build confidence, cultural pride and leadership capacity among children and youths.
She said the programme was deliberately structured as a non-competitive creative immersion platform to enable participants express themselves freely without the pressure of elimination or comparison.
“The future of Nigeria’s creative economy depends largely on how early young people are exposed to safe, structured and inspiring opportunities within the cultural and creative industries.
“Naija Colors was designed to encourage self-expression and help participants explore their creative potential in a supportive environment,” she said.
Participants showcased their talents through music, poetry, storytelling, visual arts, dance, film, digital storytelling and cultural heritage exhibitions.
They also highlighted Nigeria’s rich cultural diversity through a cultural runway featuring traditional cuisines and attires from different ethnic groups.
Speaking at the event, Mr Olayiwola Awakan, representing the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), commended the organisers for promoting cultural awareness and youth participation in the tourism and creative sectors.
“We commend the organisers for this initiative, which continues to promote cultural awareness and encourage meaningful youth participation in Nigeria’s tourism and creative sectors,” he said.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Kaduna International Film Festival, Mr Israel Audu, announced that the best cultural group at the event would perform at the 2026 Zuma Film Festival.
Audu also disclosed plans to inaugurate the Children and Youth Creative Economy Network (CY-CEN), aimed at providing mentorship, training and long-term development opportunities for young people in the creative industry.
Highlights of the event included networking sessions, cultural exhibitions, media interactions and group presentations celebrating creativity, cultural identity and national unity.
The programme also featured a speed mentorship session where filmmakers, writers, spoken word artists, content creators, music professionals and visual storytellers shared experiences and opportunities within the creative sector.
The best cultural presentation received a cash prize sponsored by the America Global Relations Foundation in recognition of its creativity, originality and cultural representation.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Francis Onyeukwu
