A group, Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc (Sterling Holdco), has enjoined youths in the African Continent to engage in enlightening conversations, involve themselves in the world of literature and art being offered by the yearly Ake Arts and Books Festival to enable them to make a positive impact on the world around them.
Group Chief Marketing Officer of Sterling Holdco, Dapo Martins, gave the advice during the just-concluded four-day Ake Arts and Books Festival held in Lagos.
He said: “The festival, which is built upon the foundation of creativity and knowledge, embodies the very essence of what Sterling Bank stands for. At Sterling, we are not just bankers; we are agents of change, driven by the belief that knowledge and creativity can transform lives.
“Our HEART strategy – Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, and Transportation – reflects this commitment. Education is at the heart of this strategy, because they have recognised that knowledge is the foundation of progress.
He said the Ake Arts and Books Festival, with its rich literary and artistic passion, and intellectual exchange, was a beacon of hope, as well as a testament to the transformative power of the human spirit.
Martins noted that their partnership with the Book Buzz Foundation, the organisers of the festival, is more than just a collaboration, it is a synergistic union of shared values and unwavering commitment.
“Together, we are on a mission to ignite minds, nurture hearts, and drive positive change. We believe that through the transformative power of literature, we can build bridges of understanding, cross cultural divides, and create a world that embraces the beauty of the world we aspire for,” Martins said.
Also speaking, Founder and Director of Ake Arts and Books Festival, Lola Shoneyin, who commended the dependable partners of the festival and a handful of wonderful new sponsors, said: “At the Book Buzz Foundation, we worked tirelessly to promote culture and the arts in Nigeria and on the African Continent. So, we are truly grateful for the generosity of all the organisations that share our passion and have encouraged us to keep going.”
She said they adopted the theme to explore the complexities of both blood relations and acceptance in relationships founded on friendship and shared experiences.
“Reading through the submitted poems and stories for the festival, I was taken aback by the emotional scope of so many family experiences. They were touched. Some were so traumatic, others were full of joy and hope and most were very moving,” Shoneyin said.
She said the festival also featured some wonderful art and photography – bold, searing and captivating pieces as well as introduced The Big African Book Quiz, which promised to be a fun and riotous affair and that sponsors of the fiesta also provided some enticing prizes.
