Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe (4 from right), the winner Segun Owolabi (5) and other dignitaries during the event
By Tony Adibe
A Taraba State-based budding artist, Mr Segun Owolabi, has won the 2025 Elder Kalu U. Kalu Young Artist of the Year Award, valued at ₦3 million.
NewsBits reports that the event witnessed the presentation of various awards, including consolation prizes, endowment prizes, category awards, and the coveted Young Artist of the Year honour.
The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, declared Owolabi as the winner in Enugu on Monday during the Life in My City Art Festival (LIMCAF) grand finale held in Enugu.
The event attracted contestants, art enthusiasts, scholars, captains of industry, and government officials, including the Enugu State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke, who represented the Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah.
Addressing the gathering, the Chairman of LIMCAF, Mr. Kevin Ejiofor, said the festival had continued to provide a formidable platform for young and aspiring Nigerian artists to showcase their creativity.
Ejiofor said that what began in 2007 as a modest initiative had evolved into a major art movement where professional artists mentor emerging talents. He explained that LIMCAF has helped to change long-held negative perceptions about art as a career, particularly among parents and guardians.
Ejiofor said that the theme of this year’s exhibition, “Can We Breathe?” reflects the collective yearnings of young Nigerians and challenges them to engage critically with the realities of the country.
The LIMCAF Chairman noted that beyond the exhibition, LIMCAF supports artists by facilitating the sale of their works and sponsoring winners to international art festivals, including exhibitions in Dakar, Senegal.
In his remarks, the Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, represented by the Commissioner for Arts and Culture, Dame Ugochi Madueke, lauded LIMCAF’s vision and its role in inspiring creativity among young Nigerians.
“Enugu State believes in the power of creativity to renew its spirit and shape its future. We will continue to support initiatives like this—spaces where young people can dream, question, and create freely.
“I congratulate the organisers, the artists, and everyone who made this year’s festival a success,” said Madueke, who stood in for Mbah. Also in his speech, former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, lauded the participants for their dedication and creativity, urging them to remain steadfast in their artistic pursuits.
He observed that the diverse range of works—spanning drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, and textile art—showcased the depth of Nigeria’s creative talent and unity in diversity.
Igwe Achebe, in his remarks, lauded LIMCAF for sustaining the festival for 18 years, adding that it has become a vital platform for discovering and nurturing young artistic talent across the country.
He urged Owolabi and other contestants to keep pushing the boundaries of their creativity and to remain committed to their dreams.
