…As Children Win Big in Talent Discovery Contest

Creativity, celebration, and youthful brilliance took centre stage on Saturday as children from across Port Harcourt showcased their talents at the fourth edition of TimeBender Fest, with winners carting home cash prizes in the festival’s Talent Discovery Competition.

Organised by Amaranthine Media, the Children’s Day fiesta was held at The Arena and drew children, parents, educators, vendors, creatives, and families for a full day of fun-filled learning, performances, and interactive experiences.

The event, themed around creativity, learning, and joyful community engagement, featured games, dance battles, animation sessions, marketplace exhibitions, and one of the festival’s biggest attractions, the TimeBender Fest Talent Discovery Competition.

Following an online selection process, nine finalists emerged to perform before a live audience in a vibrant display of creativity and confidence. Their presentations ranged from acrobatics and dance to saxophone performance, science demonstrations, spoken word, ballet, visual art, and music.

The competition ended with Wonder of God Emmanuel, a young saxophonist, emerging as the overall winner. He received a cash prize of ₦200,000 for his performance, while runners-up including Precious Godwin and Ihechi Okorie also received financial support through the Children’s Creative Grant.

The grant, an initiative of Amaranthine Media and the TimeBender Tribe, is designed to identify and support gifted children by providing visibility, encouragement, and financial assistance to help nurture their talents at an early age.

Speaking during the event, the Convener and Curator of TimeBender Fest, Jennifer Nkem-Eneanya, described the festival as more than a Children’s Day celebration, saying it was intentionally created to inspire and empower children through creativity.

“Every year, we are reminded that children are not waiting to become creative; they are already creative,” she said. “What they need is a safe, joyful, and supportive platform that tells them: we see you, we believe in you, and your gifts matter.”

She added that through the Children’s Creative Grant, Amaranthine Media and the TimeBender Tribe are making a deliberate contribution to raising confident, creative, and inspired children.

Beyond the competition, TimeBender Fest 4.0 also hosted its expanding marketplace, where families explored child-friendly products, books, learning materials, and TimeBender-branded merchandise, including the newly launched Kiliwe the TimeBender school bag sets, water bottles, lunchboxes, pencil cases, and play materials.

The event reinforced the broader vision of the TimeBender Tribe, a growing community of parents, children, creators, and supporters committed to combining learning with joy through wholesome African family entertainment.

For many attendees, the festival was not only a celebration of Children’s Day but also a reminder of the power of giving children platforms to dream, create, and shine.