Joshua at work.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently visited the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Michael Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, the Okukenu IV in his palace in Abeokuta on a thank you visit, being few days since his assumption of power.
Stepping into the precincts of the palace, Tinubu was approached by a boy, a minor carrying a large portrait. The portrait, a pencil work of President Tinubu was presented to him and he happily received it from the jubilant minor, Joshua Ebunoluwa Morenikeji who is actually the artist who drew the presented artwork.
Joshua Ebunoluwa Morenikeji is a prodigy. His fame as an artist has grown, like a bush fire in the harmattan since his first presentation of the portrait of Femi Aderibigbe, the CEO of Orisun Television a couple of years ago.
He 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 spread like a bush fire in the harmattan .
“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 at a parley we had with him recently.
His father, Bosun Morenikeji, Assistant Deputy Regstrar at the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta and his mother, Taiwo who were also at the dialogue to spur on their son, quickly noted that this presentation was Joshua’s first and that it earned him a princely sum of one hundred thousand Naira.
Asked how the child-artist was able to get commissioned for the work, the father explained that he was not commissioned for the work. He explained that Ebunoluwa saw Aderibigbe on television and was inspired to draw him. The finished portrait was then posted on line from where Aderibigbe saw it and invited the artist over for the public presentation.w
Since that first public outing which served as his debut, the young artist had cut the mustard as his popularity began to soar on the wings of eagle.
He has done several other portraits and works since then. These include the portraits of Dr. Kunle Fulani, the former provost of the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta and his successor, Dr. Rafiu Soyele, the present provost.
Joshua with one of his works.
Other portraits are that of Pastor Mrs Folu Adeboye, the wife of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Prof Peter Fatomilola, a legendary actor and lecturer, Prince Adewole Adebayo, Chairman, Caftan Television, Prince Yomi Odukoya of Art Kingdom International and Mrs Benedicta Kema Achibuogwu, the President of Lions Club, District 404.
He has also drawn other notable men and women such as the governors of Lagos and Ogun States, the Ooni of I’ve, King Sunny Ade, the Juju Maestro, Senator Olamilekan Yayi, M.C Oluomo, the Chairman of Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State and Chief Mrs Iyabo Ojo-Tinubu, the Iyaloja General and the first daughter of President Tinubu.
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.
The father enthused that Ebunoluwa, who now receives visitors daily from far and near, “some even unknown to us” has also garnered several awards over time.
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.
Ebunoluwa 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.
The child-prodigy’s talent in visual art was noticed by his parents at a very early age but neighbours and other watchers who were also dazzled had seriously advised them to shield Ebunoluwa from early public glare.
These concerned watchers warned that there are “Destiny Destroyers” out there.
But by 2021, it dawned on the naive parents that the grandeur of the young artist’s prowess, like the glare of the sun, could no longer be hidden by the one-finger of parental protection.
A Facebook page, Prodigy Morenikeji Ebunoluwa Joshua was first opened. Over time, his presence on the s0ocial media was broadened with the opening of other platforms viz; Joshmore on Instagram, MorenikejiTaiwo@Twitter, TaiwoMore on Tik-tok and Morenikeji Joshua on U-tube.
Ebunoluwa’s father who acts as the majordomo and even the lead fan of his phenomenal son attested not only to his latent talent but also his deligence as he confessed to the fact that “he could draw from morning till night and will still not be tired”.
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.
