LAGOS, JULY 9, 2018 – The Managing Director of Ecobank Charles Kie has been praised for giving a young artist, Kareem Waris Olamilekan, the opportunity to showcase his talent before the French President, Emmanuel Macron last week in Lagos.
The 11-year-old artist had sketched a portrait of Macron during his visit to the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos.
Speaking during a thank you visit to Kie in Lagos, Olamilekan said: “I thought it was a joke when a staff member of Ecobank called to say they wanted me to sketch a portrait of the French President, which the bank would present to him during his visit to the Africa Shrine. I was (and am still) happy for this opportunity. In fact, my friends and people I do not know have since been calling me to congratulate me. Even my parents are not left out. It is a family dream come true I must say.”
Olamilekan is a pencil, painter and prosthetic makeup artist. He began drawing at six, starting with cartoon and comics and by eight, he started drawing professionally. He was identified by Ecobank as a talented artist and was given the opportunity to paint a portrait of Macron for the bank to present to the French President during the “Celebration of African Culture” event at the New Afrika Shrine.
Responding, Kie said the bank is glad that it is helping the artist to realise his dream. He said the bank recognised the abundant talent in the artist and decided to empower him to sketch Macron’s portrait, adding that it was in line with the bank’s policy of recognising and developing talents across the continent.
