A Nigerian youth, Prosper Daniel, has won the “My Dream” painting competition staged for youth across Africa.

Daniel was announced as the overall winner of the painting competition at an award ceremony in Abuja late Wednesday.

Speaking at the event, Mr Li Xuda, Counsellor of the Chinese Cultural Centre Abuja, hailed Daniel’s victory, saying his painting was adjudged the best among over 2,000 works from African youths sent to China in March.

He said the Chinese government is ready to support the dreams and aspirations of Africans, especially Nigerian youths, for a better and greater future.

He said like many other programmes, the annual painting competition aims at fostering cultural exchange and cooperation between China and Nigeria.

He said that Nigeria was blessed with a lot of young talents and the Chinese Government was keen on helping them to realise their dreams which would further be of positive impact to Nigeria.

“Over the years, African youths have expressed strong interest in outer space and their desire to ‘fly to space’ someday in the future.

“Chinese government is ready to actively support these ‘African Dreams’ of exploring the vast universe,” he said.

“This year, the Secretariat of the Chinese Follow-up Committee of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the China Manned Space Engineering Office are co-hosting a painting competition on the theme of ‘My Dream’.

“In Nigeria, over 10 ‘China Corner’ schools participated in the competition; about 100 pieces of painting were collected, and the Top five excellent paintings were sent by the Chinese Embassy to China for the final selection.

He said Daniel would be invited to visit China in September and all the related costs, including international air tickets, would be covered by the Chinese Government.

“Encouraged by his success, I believe Nigerian students will grow up as new builders of a China-Nigeria good relationship, and make our cultural exchange more fruitful as well as our tomorrow more beautiful,” Li said.

Daniel received a certificate and the sum of N80,000 as a reward for his performance.

Meanwhile, the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Otunba Segun Runsewe, while speaking at the occasion, disclosed the plans to send 3,000 Nigerian youths to learn from Chinese creative industries and return with the expertise to grow Nigeria’s

While commending the Chinese Embassy for coming up with very unique programmes for discovering talents in Nigeria, Runsewe said it was key for Nigeria to leverage the platforms already provided by the Chinese to improve Nigerian youths who could use creativity in them to come out with something great.

“Out of 40 countries, over 2000 paintings, Nigeria came first; I am very excited that we are known all over the world for good things, not for the wrong reasons, so I am very happy,” he said. (Daily Trust)

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