Teenage Festival of Life: Celebration of Talents
Omolara Akintoye
The Nation
November 19, 2006

The theme this year is “Putting an End to Child Abuse and Trafficking” and without any doubt, it was an event which is known for pulling large crowds of both young and old alike. The venue, Main Auditorium of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos was filled to its highest capacity as students from all Local Education Districts in Lagos State were in attendance. This year’s TFL was a forum to display the best talents in songs rendition, drama presentation, poetry recitation and poster designs.

Child abuse refers to all forms of physical and/ or emotional ill treatment or commercial or other explanation resulting in actual or potential harm to child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power. Major types of child abuse are physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse etc. child trafficking is defined as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, or fraud, of deception of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payment or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.

TFL according to the (organizers) Executive Director, Action Health Incorporated, (AHI) Mrs. Nike Essiet, came into existence in order to bridge the communication gap between young people and adults “TFL has established its place in the hearts of young people as a fulfilled yearning to celebrate, not only their talents and achievements but also the joys of adolescence,” she said.

The aim and objective of TFL include, providing an opportunity for young people to express their creativity through presentations to diverse audiences; providing an avenue for young people and adults to exchange ideas about the education, health and development of adolescents, providing a forum to meet with individuals and organizations that provide youth oriented services and are interested in their well being; and finally stimulating young people to explore and discover their innate talents through interactions with experts in various fields.

Speaking on the planning process, she explained that it usually starts early in the year to ensure its success.

“Each edition of the TFL features young people” doing their own thing with support from adults. A TFL planning committee is set up early in the year comprising young people and experienced adults, to discuss, plan and coordinate all preparatory activities leading up to the festival.

Over 115 entries for the various categories of the competition were received from young people in secondary schools within Lagos state. The categories include; poetry, songs, artwork and drama. These entries were screened based on the criteria developed by the panel of judges comprising professional writers, poets, and literary enthusiasts, artists and award winners. The selection criteria used for the script include, originality, thematic realization, characterization, diction/ language, plot character, realization, time and title.

The winning schools for the song category include, Comprehensive Senior Secondary School came third with a song titled “Tomorrow’s People”, Ajayi Crowther Memorial school came second with the song titled “Hawking” while Lagos City Senior College came first with the song titled “Our Pains”. In the poem category; Girls Junior School Agege came first with the poem titled “Learn From Me”, Aladura Comprehensive Senior High School came second with the poem titled “Enough” while Baptist Academy came third with the poem titled “The Victims”.

For the drama category, Birrel Avenue High School, Yaba came third with a drama titled “A Lost Treasure Of Hope” followed by Girls Junior High School, Agege with a drama titled “Nkoyo: The Forgotten Child” while Ikosi Senior Secondary School came first with the drama titled “Moment Of Strife”.

For the Art categories Birrel Avenue Senior High School came third, closely followed by Comprehensive Senior High School while Holy Child College, Obalende came first.

Side attractions at the event included motivational segment which was anchored by Dayo Adeneye popularly known as D-One of Prime Time Jamz. He urged the young ones to take the right paths to success which include: get a good education which is the foundation of life; listen and obey your parents; pick your friends carefully and finally be prepared to work hard, to the parents, he enjoined them not to give up on their children and to live by example.

TFL was also an avenue to discover scores of budding talents in music, poetry, drama and arts, many of whom will someday become well known.