Lekki Port Story Through the Eyes of Young Artists

Yinka Olatunbosun

A recent plein air painting experience morphed into a historic visual storytelling project when select art students from the University of Lagos embarked on a visit to the famous Lekki Deep Sea Port. The delegation, drawn from the Department of the Creative Arts, Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos was led by Dr. Victor Ogunyemijo to the Lekki Port in June 2025 where each of the students was assigned to do a live painting of infrastructural facilities and the port itself.

13 outstanding young artists emerged in a contest which came to a finale on Wednesday, September 3, where winners were announced for the project. Tagged “The Lekki Port Story Through Art,” the exhibition of the paintings from all 13 finalists were paraded for the first time at the corporate office of Lekki Port, Victoria Island Lagos.

The Chief Executive Officer, Lekki Port, Wang Qiang commended the UNILAG students for investing their energy and creativity to produce works that represented the full potential of the port. Some of the paintings captured tugboat, cargo ships, a portrait of Wang Qiang, among others.

Qiang described the paintings as a full expression of the beautiful sight of marine infrastructure and facilities at the port. For him, the occasion has further helped to cement the relationship between the academia and corporate organisations such as Lekki Port, especially with the quality of infrastructure in place.

In her remarks, the Consul General, the People’s Republic of China, Yan Yuqing noted that their works have helped in placing the young artist as true ambassadors of China-Nigeria friendship.

“As you know, China-Nigeria has a long history and tradition,” she said. “I think the students have not only shown their painting talents, they have also shown their love for China, the Chinese people as well as China-Nigeria friendship. This is indeed a big contribution to the bilateral relations between both countries,” she said.

Delivering his closing remarks, the Chairman, Lekki Port, Biodun Dabiri, commended the management of Lekki Port for playing its role to promote creativity which was evident in the quality of paintings on display.

At the grand finale, each of the thirteen students was provided the opportunity to make a presentation of their artworks. Upon evaluation by judges, Shalom Oluwa emerged the winner while Oluwafemi Morakinyo and Ajeseni Godin came first runner-up and second runner-up, respectively.

Speaking shortly after being announced as the winner of the art exhibition, Oluwa Shalom, a graduating student of the University of Lagos, expressed deep excitement about the outcome of the exhibition adding that it is a soothing reward for her devotion to choose creative art in defiance of her parental preference. Her winning work titled “Dawn of New Beginnings” is a reflection of the promise of Lekki Deep Sea Port. It symbolises Nigeria’s growth beyond old stereotypes of being a “third world nation,” highlighting progress, innovation and global connection. Her painting captures an inferno with a simple yet unique fusion of industry and nature to create a mesmerizing spectacle. The red-hot palette pulses with the rhythmic activity of a tug boat conveyed the unyielding power of human innovation and the sea’s primal force. The winning painting is an ode to the unseen labour and machinery that drive Nigerian commerce, set against the majestic backdrop of the ocean’s depths.

“I feel very blessed to have emerged as the winner,” the overall winner of the N500,000 prize money, Oluwa said. “This painting is one of the interesting parts of my work. This is the first time I am painting freely. I am one who enjoys bright colours.”

Ajeseni Godwin, the second runner-up for the project won a sum of N200,000 while the first runner-up, Oluwafemi Morakinyo won a sum of

N300,000.

The Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited (LPLEL) is the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that was awarded the Concession Agreement for the development and operations of the Lekki Deep Sea Port by the Nigerian Ports Authority.