LIMCAF’s Hundred Visual Tales and the Search for Originality

Okechukwu Uwaezuoke

“It had to be her!” 

These words could have been echoing in the minds of many cognoscenti that Saturday (October 31) night. Indeed, a few may even have exchanged knowing glances when Bilikisu Oyiza Shuaibu was announced as the winner of the $2,000 Elder K.U. Kalu Prize for Young Artist of the Year, the headline award of the 2026 Life in My City Art Festival (LIMCAF). Her winning work, “Mai Kisto: A Million Tales”, had clearly caught the fancy of many at the grand finale exhibition, held at the International Conference Centre of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu.

As it turned out, there was little to find fault with in the work. Shuaibu had brilliantly and ingeniously used beads and string to conjure an image of a beauty salon, with several women having their hair done. Made with materials that might hitherto have seemed unusual in an artist’s studio, her entry deserved the grand prize and the plaudits it received.

Really, it’s rather tempting to draw parallels between Shuaibu’s experiences and those of Segun Victor Owolabi, the 2025 grand prize winner, who has also experienced LIMCAF’s positive impact outside the competition. Both have benefitted from LIMCAF’s festival residency programme, which gave them the opportunity to exhibit and sell their works at the Amadeos Business Summit. They also shared the predilection for unusual mediums of expression. In view of the above, it can confidently be affirmed that LIMCAF’s off-competition activities are part of a long-term strategy to discover up-and-coming artistes and take them to the next level. 

The festival’s 2026 edition was, meanwhile, not without its fair share of irony. While its theme, Open Letter, invited artists to communicate their thoughts and concerns to the world, the jury found that not everyone had taken the call for originality to heart.

Back to the grand prize. While it was undoubtedly the biggest reward of the day, several other recognitions were also announced. Kayode Oluwapelumi, representing the Calabar/Uyo centre, received the Capt. Everest Nnaji Prize for Best Painting for his work, “Open World: Where Everything Grows.” In the Textile/Fashion Art category, Victoria Oluwadamilola Adewole of Abuja emerged winner with her entry, “To The Wounds That Refuse to Heal.” The Best Sculpture/Installation Art prize went to Gushi Clinton Data of Zaria for his work, “How I Play My Part.” The Most Creative Female Artiste award was won by Praise Edward of Lagos for her work, “Between The Lines of Inertia.” Last but not least, the Artists Living with Disability award went to Taiwo Iyamu Shileola of Ondo for his work, “Open Letter to the Mind.”

These artists, alongside Shuaibu, were included in the two-week, all-expenses-paid trip to Dakar, Senegal, sponsored by El Anatsui. It was a handsome incentive, although the prospect of spending a fortnight in Dakar would probably have made even the less adventurous finalists reconsider their travel plans.

Still on the prizes, the Zaria Centre took the Chinelo Chime Prize for Best Photography with Success Emeka’s “The Tomorrow We Might Never See”. Obeka Simon Edoh of the Jalingo Centre received the Tayo Adenaike Prize for Best Watercolour for “Breaking Chains, Not Spirits”. Chimmuanya Onuzulike of the Enugu Centre claimed the Best Ceramics award with “Extraction”, while John Ojo of the Abuja Centre took the Best Drawing prize with “Many Good Heads”. The Best Graphics/Digital Art/Video award went to Jacob Onyebuchi Onu of the Enugu Centre for “Life”.

Other endowed prizes went to Godwin Ejike Ugwuagbo, whose “The People’s Manifesto” earned him the Justice Aniagolu Prize for Originality; Hannah Success Egba of Auchi, whose entry, “Prime”, clinched the Pius Okigbo Prize for Technical Proficiency; and Ruth Ben of Calabar/Uyo, whose “The Rat Race” took the Mfom Usoro Prize for Best Entry from Uyo Centre. Louis Ifeanyi Igwegbe received the Vin Martin Ilo Prize for “Every Feeling Leaves A Mark”, while Hosea Timothy Dakas claimed the Chike Obeagu Prize for Best Collage with “A Letter Unread”.

Additionally, Daniel Ogbodo of Enugu won the Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke Prize for Best Entry by a Special Needs Artist with “Residue of Time”. Augustine Martin Ebuka’s “Green-White-Green Like Babel” earned him the Stephen Bezalel Prize, while Victor Ishaya received the Agoreyo Armstrong Prize for Best Entry with “Que Sera, Sera”.

For a competition that covered as far as Lagos and Abuja, through Jalingo, Zaria, Enugu, Jos, Ondo, Auchi, Ibadan, and Calabar/Uyo, recognition of this sort, including a score of consolation prizes, was by no means insignificant. It was a reminder that the emerging artistic energies in the country are not located only in the major cities. LIMCAF’s regional network has no doubt been kept busy.

The task of assessing the 100 finalist works, meanwhile, fell to a jury chaired by Dr Chike Chinazom Obeagu, with Dr Talatu Adiwu Onkala, Prof Frank Ugiomoh, Ugochukwu-Smooth Nzewi, PhD, Bella Anne C. Ndubuisi and Dotun Popoola as members. Beyond visual appeal, the jury considered how well the works interpreted the theme, the artists’ handling of their chosen materials, the quality of finish and presentation, and the originality of their expression.

Interestingly, the jury’s report dated October 30, 2026,  described some of the entries as “energetic” and “indicative of imaginative thought process.” It was these remarks that distinguished the report and captured the spirit of originality and risk-taking in the exploratory use of unconventional materials.

 While some ideas and works raised originality concerns, some entries were determined to have high potential, despite flawed or inadequate execution. Of greater concern was the tendency of some participants to imitate and follow the recent fads and “winning” styles of previous LIMCAF recipients.

 Beyond the prize list, this year’s competition has a more enduring message to artists. Artists are encouraged to make works that express their preoccupation, instead of being a surrogate for others. From the note of the jury, LIMCAF 2027, themed Emerging Frontiers looks set to consolidate its appeal to artists.