For 18 consecutive years, Talent for the Master’s Use has provided children with a platform to discover, develop and showcase their abilities, reinforcing the idea that talent development must begin early if young people are to realise their potential and contribute meaningfully to society.

The annual programme, which combines music, dance, Bible quiz, Bible memory recitation and other creative activities, was preceded by Alpha City, a three-day Vacation Bible School designed to engage children through learning, practical skills and creative expression.

This year’s programme, themed “Light of the World,” brought together children from different churches and backgrounds at TREM Wealthy Place, Iyana Ipaja, targeting about 2,000 participants. While Talent for the Master’s Use is in its 18th edition, Alpha City is marking its 13th edition.

For the convener, Alpha City and Joint convener, Talent for the Master’s Use, Ayodeji Ebunoluwa Olukorede, the initiative is much more than competition. It is deliberately structured as a talent discovery and exhibition platform where children can identify their abilities, develop them and begin to understand how those abilities can contribute to their future.

The programme is open to children from birth to 16 years and deliberately welcomes participants across denominations, sectors and religious backgrounds. According to Mrs. Olukorede, the decision to create an inclusive environment through Alpha City is rooted in the need to reach children who might otherwise not have access to such opportunities.

“Sometimes, if you simply tell children to come to church, they may not come. But there is so much they need to learn and so many ways we can reach them,” she explained.

The three-day Alpha City programme provides a range of activities, training and learning sessions before the children converge for the main talent showcase. Organisers say the objective is to create a safe and engaging environment where children can learn, experiment and discover what they can do.

The initiative’s vision extends beyond the immediate programme. Mrs. Olukorede said they are conscious that today’s children will eventually occupy the positions currently held by adults and therefore need to be equipped with the values, knowledge and skills required to shape society responsibly.

“Our vision is about every child impacting the nation, every child impacting the world and every child harnessing his or her potential,” she said.

She added that investing in a child’s potential could have a multiplier effect, with one child’s development eventually influencing a family, community and even the nation.

“We will not always occupy the positions we occupy today. These children will eventually take our places. They will be the ones serving and leading in the future,” she said.

That philosophy is reflected in the structure of Talent for the Master’s Use. Rather than focusing exclusively on winning, the programme provides children with opportunities to practise, perform and receive encouragement to pursue their interests.

Mrs. Olukorede who is also an educator noted that many talents remain undiscovered because children are often expected to wait until they reach a particular age before expressing or pursuing their interests. By then, however, some may have lost interest or moved in a different direction.

“When you identify and nurture a child’s talent early, that child begins to build on it,” she said.

She gave the example of a child who identifies as a drummer and repeatedly returns to the programme with a desire to improve. Such consistency, she explained, creates an opportunity for adults to provide direction, introduce the child to music education and expose them to other instruments.

“That is how you produce great instrumentalists and other professionals who can contribute to national development,” she said.

The programme also goes beyond music and the arts to introduce children to practical and entrepreneurial skills. During this year’s Alpha City, participants were taught how to make souvenirs and decorate them with labels, create photo frames using flex banners and make bags, including cloth bags.

Instructors are drawn from within the programme as well as externally, while some teachers receive training before transferring the knowledge to the children.

The 18th edition of Talent for the Master’s Use, hosted by TREM Wealthy Place, Iyana Ipaja, featured participation from churches including TREM Ishuti, TREM Oko Oba, TREM Ejigbo, RCCG Great Expectation, TREM Iju, RCCG Ambassador Mega Zone, TREM Igando, RCCG Ark of God, TREM Ikotun, Christ Gospel Church of Praise, Go Ye Pentecostal Mission International and Hour of Touch Bible Ministry.

The competition featured Bible recitation in junior and senior categories, dance, Bible quiz, music and Bible Sword. TREM Wealthy Place emerged strongly across several categories, winning the junior and senior Bible recitation competitions, dance, Bible quiz and music, while RCCG Ambassador Mega Zone won the Bible Sword category.

Beyond the winners and the applause, the organisers see the programme as part of a longer-term investment in children. As Mrs. Olukorede puts it, “Every child has potential.”

For Alpha City and Talent for the Master’s Use, catching children young is therefore not merely about discovering who can sing, dance, recite or perform. It is about identifying possibility early, providing the right environment to develop it and preparing a generation that can eventually take responsibility for the future.

“If we invest in our children today, we are investing in the future of our communities, our nation and the world,” she said.