Nine students across Secondary and Tertiary Institutions in Lagos have won tuition scholarships covering one full academic session after emerging top in the second edition of the Lagos Schools Arts and Craft Competition, themed "This is Lagos."

The winners were announced at the grand finale held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium in Alausa on Tuesday, an event organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Bopo Oyekan Ismaila, confirmed that the State Government would settle tuition obligations for all winners in the next academic session, as it did for winners of the inaugural edition.

"The winning students will get scholarships to pay for their tuition for one year. We will get in touch with them. Next academic session, the government will pay and fulfil this obligation. We did the same last year," she stated.

A total of 489 students registered for the competition, with 132 submitting entries drawn from across the five divisions of Lagos State and selected tertiary Institutions. Participants competed in painting, drawing, sculpture, beadwork, textile design, leatherwork, digital art and upcycling.

Oyekan Ismaila described the entries as a reflection of Lagos culture, heritage and entrepreneurial spirit, adding that the competition was designed to expose young people to the opportunities available in the creative sector.

"It is also to tell them that there are enormous opportunities and limitless possibilities for them as artists and creatives. The sky is the limit," she said.

In the Tertiary category, Goodness Popoola and Boton Samuel, both 400-level students at Lagos State University of Education, placed first and third respectively, while AbdulRahman Saheed, a 300 level student at Lagos State University of Science and Technology, finished second.

The senior secondary category was won by Ajayi Maugbe of Methodist Senior High School, with Makinde Abraham of Millennium Senior Secondary School and Akinola Oluwatobi of Sanggo Senior Secondary School completing the top three, all in SS2.

In the junior secondary category, Mufutau Opeyemi of Clegg Girls Junior High School took first place, followed by Orungbamila Esther of Ikotun Junior High School and Saheed Remilekun of Community Junior Grammar School, Akowonjo.

Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Solomon Bonu, urged winners to embrace self reliance through their craft.

"Creatives do not need to wait for government jobs. You can be self sufficient with your arts and crafts. The future of Lagos starts with the students," he said.