By Foluso Adelaja, Editor
Twelve-year-old Nigerian visual artist, Morenikeji Ebunoluwa Joshua, has received a major boost to his education and artistic career following the announcement of a N10 million education endowment fund by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The First Lady announced the endowment in recognition of the young artist’s exceptional artistic talent after he presented her with a pencil portrait of herself during her recent visit to Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The presentation took place during the commissioning of landmark projects and the South-West Zonal Launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme in the state.
Morenikeji, who has earned recognition for his remarkable artistic abilities at a very young age, reportedly caught the attention of the First Lady when she spotted him in the crowd holding up her portrait in an attempt to get her attention.
Upon sighting the young artist, the First Lady asked whether he was the artist who produced the portrait. After receiving confirmation, she invited him to take his seat, expressing concern that he might be tired from standing for a long period.
Tinubu subsequently praised the young boy for his artistic gift and assured him that his talent had already earned him national recognition.
According to her, the endowment would enable Morenikeji to remain in school while also developing his creative abilities.
“This is a national recognition for you already. We want you to go to school,” the First Lady said, while encouraging him to take his education seriously.
She also advised the budding artist to acquire formal education alongside his artistic development, noting that the creative industry was expanding rapidly with the emergence of new technologies, including artificial intelligence.
Tinubu said the N10 million endowment would specifically support Morenikeji’s education, thereby giving him an opportunity to pursue his academic aspirations while nurturing his talent.
Morenikeji, who started drawing at the age of four, is currently a Junior Secondary School 1 student of Federal College of Education Model Secondary School, Osiele, Abeokuta.
Despite his young age, he has produced more than 300 artworks and has already attracted national and international recognition for his creative accomplishments.
Among his reported achievements are being named African Child of the Year in the Art and Culture Category in 2025, as well as being honoured as a Distinguished Ambassador for African Child in South Africa in the same year.
He was also listed among the Top 100 Child Prodigies of the World under the Global Child Prodigy Award in 2025, further highlighting the growing recognition of his artistic abilities.
In June 2025, Morenikeji held his first solo exhibition, where about 150 of his artworks were displayed, providing an opportunity for the public to appreciate his talent and creative development.
The young artist has expressed an ambition to establish his own art gallery and have his works displayed in homes and institutions across the world.
Beyond personal artistic achievement, Morenikeji is also seeking to use his talent to promote positive values and inspire young people through initiatives designed to celebrate individuals making meaningful contributions to society.
One of such initiatives is his “1,000 Faces of High Impact Project,” through which he plans to draw the portraits of 1,000 individuals around the world whose positive contributions are making a difference in their various communities.
Another initiative, “Art Under the Bridges,” is aimed at taking his artworks and artistic activities to disadvantaged communities, particularly the out-of-school children.
Through the project, he hopes to collaborate with compassionate individuals and organisations to support the return of out-of-school children to education and help create pathways towards meaningful livelihoods.
For the young artist, the N10 million education endowment from the First Lady represents not only a financial reward for his talent but also a significant investment in his future.
The gesture is also expected to strengthen the confidence of the young prodigy as he combines formal education with his passion for visual art, with the hope that his creative journey will eventually develop into a career capable of inspiring other Nigerian children.
With more than 300 artworks, a solo exhibition already behind him and several national and international recognitions to his name, Morenikeji’s story is fast becoming an example of how talent, encouragement and education can combine to shape the future of a gifted Nigerian child.
