Charles Ajunwa

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has called on youths to emulate the innovative and daring spirit of Idara Adiakpan, the visioner and Convener of the Visual Conference, whom he described as a fearless and determined star.

Governor Eno, who made the call at the Visual Conference and Award Night 2025 held in Uyo, emphasised on the need for youths to be innovative, bold, and committed.

Eno, who was represented by his Deputy, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, said Adiakpan, his Special Assistant/Chief Photographer, represents his ideal future for Akwa Ibom youths in particular and Nigeria in general, describing her as one with the ability to think outside the box of conventional wisdom and the drive to break boundaries to achieve success.

The governor said the convener, though a theatre arts graduate; is his Chief Photographer, deploying the tools of modern photography and aligning them with social media commitments for real-time news dissemination.

“She has achieved success beyond the call of duty because she believed in herself and did not listen to the merchants of dream killers, who may have told her ‘you studied theatre arts, but today you are a ‘common

photographer.’

“I implore our youths to stop nourishing and internalising the entitlement culture, look into yourselves; see where certain services are needed, and plug yourselves in and the rewards would be unquantifiable.

“I urge our youths to strive for innovation; like Idara is doing, look for things that bring value to the people and you would be rewarded immeasurably. That is what our ARISE push for empowerment is all about: equipping our youths with skills that would translate into financial success,” he added.

In her welcome remark, Adiakpan said

“photography is more than just a craft—it’s a universal language that transcends borders, cultures and time,” adding that “the event was basically to celebrate the extraordinary talent of photographers who have dared to tell their stories with timeless images.

“This year, we received 587 nominations across the 15 categories from the photography communities across Nigeria; each entry is a testament to the passion and dedication of artists who see the extraordinary in the ordinary. To every nominee, whether you’re walking away with an award or not, know that your work has inspired us, challenged us, and reminded us of the power of art to connect and transform,” she said.

She appreciated Governor Eno for giving her the platform, and the encouragement to share ideas with young people, especially those within her profession.

In their separate remarks, the Director General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), Hon. Aisha Adamu Augie; Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Mr. Ayo Adeagbo; and creative photographer, Mr. Kelechi Amadi-Obi commended Adiakpan for the initiative which they said has enormously impacted on the participants.

They appreciated Governor Eno, the Visual Conference Team, and the creative community in Akwa Ibom State for being part of efforts to advance the creative economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The event which featured an arts exhibition, had an array of beautiful creative pictures displayed.

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