Govt urged to encourage youth to develop culture of creative art

Arts

Yemisi Shyllon, the Founder of Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation (OYASAF), on Saturday, 10 urged all tiers of government to develop a culture of creative arts in the youth.

Shyllon said this  in Lagos that with government’s involvement, Nigerian art would be accorded the right priority and placed on the world map.

``We should aim at growing Nigerian art by letting the world know what we have cherish it and sell it to the world.

The engineer turned art enthusiast, said that he was using the foundation to mobilise children and direct them toward arts and culture.

`We don’t want the present generation to be a wasted generation. That is why I am doing what I am doing to let them know the importance of arts and culture.

``It is a long road but we are ready to travel that road to get it right,’’ he  said.

Shyllon said that in April, the foundation and the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, co-sponsored Secondary Schools' Art Competition.

He said that 20 secondary schools participated in on-the-spot life drawing.

``I am already working in conjunction with an organisation in Jos, Plateau, to sponsor primary and secondary schools’ arts competition.

``I want to help to develop the culture of creativity in the young ones; I want to catch them young.

``It (art competition) is also to make them know that hard work pays instead of involving themselves in the vices that are ravaging the country now.

``I will also sponsor children's workshop and the national art workshop with the University of Lagos Creative Arts Department on Sept. 23,'' he said.

He, however, said that what he was doing was measurable because he had produced numerous artists.

``Yes, what OYASAF is doing is a fulfillment of my life ambition to leave a legacy in life and the area which I decided to leave a legacy is in the art,’’ Shyllon said.

Shyllon ventured into art collection at the University of Ibadan decades ago, his interest in art had grown.

This preoccupation led him into not just art collection, but also sponsorship of art programmes and promotion of research in the visual art.

Shyllon is one of the leading art promoters in Nigeria, especially visual arts.