Joshua poses with the sketched portrait of Senator Olamilekan Yayi.
10 years old prodigy and celebrated Abeokuta, Ogun State based artist, Joshua Ebunoluwa Morenikeji is on the move again. Joshua is not resting on his oars. He continues to climb the ladder of fame by dint of unstinting hard work, egged on, according to him, by his parents.
Joshua has now crossed the threshold of 300 in the self imposed but testing assignment of pencil-sketching 1000 Faces of High Impact which he began about two years ago.
In this task of sketching 1000 faces of personalities who have positively impacted the globe, according to his father, who manages all the affairs of the budding artist, over 50 faces of eminent Nigerians are among those already sketched.
Morenikeji Snr, the father of the young artist explaining something to a visitor to the exhibition.
Morenikeji Snr. confirmed that faces of eminent personalities from all walks of life within Nigeria and beyond it’s shores have been sketched and these included traditional rulers, statesmen, heads of industries, philanthropists and political leaders.
Joshua started drawing at the age of four and by the age of 7, he had not only realised that he could draw, his prowess and fame had also began to soar.
“I knew I could draw when I was invited to Lagos in 2021 to present my work on Femi Aderibigbe, the CEO of Orisun Television”, the young artist told THE STATEPOST.
According to young Morenikeji’s father, many of his works have found their ways abroad, many are now directly commissioned while some are still being done on the initiative of the young artist.
He had also acquired several attestations confirming his artistic prowess.
Some of these awards are: the 2022 Eko Talent Award as the Most Confident Kid Visual Artist of The Year, the Achievement Award Winner of 2022/2023 in the International Peace Poster Contest and the Peace Poster Ambassador Award conducted by Abeokuta Unique Lion’s Club last year.
Joshua also came third in the Mamador Nationwide Art Competition in 2022, outshining about 120 co-contestants. That same year, he bagged a Merit Award from Live Club International.
Asked how he gets inspiration for his works, the young boy demurely told THE STATEPOST that: “whenever I see a picture that I could draw, an indescribable feeling comes over me”. He also confessed that oftentimes, he sees himself drawing in his dream and then he would wake up and try to draw what he was drawing in real life.
To establish his mastery, Joshua, the 10-year-old pencil sketch phenomena has again set the artworld abuzz as he hosted his debut solo art exhibition titled “Emerging Visions”.
The exclusive exhibition which was a celebration of his extraordinary talent and youthful brilliance was held recently at the National Gallery of Art, Federal Secretariat, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.
Themed “Celebrating Faces of High Impact Series 001,” the exhibition featured a collection of intricate pencil sketches that reflect not only artistic prowess but also deep emotional sensitivity, uncommon for a child of his age.
Visitors to the exhibition were privileged to be treated to a remarkable journey of Joshua’s emerging visions, inspired by real-life heroes, cultural heritage, and community influencers.
This exhibition is very important to the young genius as it precedes an even greater milestone.
Joshua has been named one of the Top 100 Child Prodigies in the World for 2025 in the Art category by the Global Child Prodigy Awards.
The prestigious award ceremony, powered by the Hindustan Group of Institutions, is scheduled to hold on June 26, 2025, at the British Parliament, London.
In a congratulatory statement from the organizers, Master Joshua was described as a “global inspiration, redefining what is possible when passion meets purpose at a young age.”
“This exhibition is not just about art; it is a statement of hope, imagination, and the powerful stories children can tell when given the right platform,” said a representative of the organizing committee.
Speaking with THE STATEPOST at the exhibition, Joshua described the London award as his best ever, though his father was not enthused by the low turnout of art aficionados to the young artist’s first solo exhibition.
He however said the unencouraging turnout could be caused by the fact that the exhibition coincided with the National Sports Festival held in the state recently which preoccupied many important personalities.
