A young Master Adegoke Ademola, 14-year old student of King College, Lagos, has emerged the winner of the just concluded eco-friendly art competition held to round up series of programmes initiated by Eko Hotels Limited in a bid to go green. The eco-friendly art contest held at the hotel on April 22, 2019, however, signaled the grand finale of the hospitality giant’s effort to reclaim the seemingly polluted environment that gives credence to climatic change. Schools that made it to the final contest comprising British International School, Holy Child College, Kings College and others were among the selected schools that registered interest to participate for the competition before final selection. The students who were given free hand to conceptualise and paint scenes in conformity with going green initiative had a swell day as they experimented in various media available to them.
The contest was conducted by Eko Hotel’s go green team and panel of judges comprising Christopher Chagoury, chairman, Eko Hotels Limited; Caline Chagoury Moudaber, diretor, Eko Hotels Limited, founder and director of Art TwentyOne; Ghassan Faddoul, managing director, Eko Hotels, Adesegun Oniru, chairman, AAO Consulting; Taiwo Adewole, environmental sustainability expert and Olu Amoda, professor of Art and renowned artist.
At the At the end of the painting competition, Adegoke Ademola’s painting was adjudged the best, having captured the required concept with his mastery of lines, perspectives and use of colour.
He was reward with a prize cheque of N200,000 and a trophy. The second best went to Akindele Abdulazim, 14-year old student of British International School, Victoria Island, who went home with N150,000 while the third best went to another 14-year old Olugbenga Ayoluwa of Holy Child College, Lagos who won N100,000 respectively.
In an opening remark by Christopher Chagoury, chairman, Eko Hotels Limited, , said, “We are far more than just a global and local leader. We are the equivalent of a community that hosts over 500,000 clients each year providing them with water, energy, food and a hospitable environment.
With ‘Eco’ right in our DNA, the board of directors decided it was time to expose our guests to a more caring and greener lifestyle. We want to share the opportunity to experience what a greener world could be”.
Ch a g o u r y f u r t h e r charged the general public to ride with Eko Hotels on the green side as they join hands to contribute their quota to make our environments green.
Speaking further, he said, “In its characteristic pursuit of growth and excellence, Eko Hotels and Suites is set to raise the bar a lot higher in the Nigerian hospitality industry, as the board and management made a corporate decision to officially embark on an eco-friendly way of life. Concerned about its immediate environment and the global community, Eko Hotels is determined to make considerable investment in ensuring a more eco-friendly culture is embedded into the daily operation of its business.
To this extent, they accept they have a responsibility not just to their shareholders, but also to their host community, future generations and the larger society, so they are committed to ensuring that their environment is preserve and properly catered to, promoting a healthier, safer and more sustainable business space”.
The chairman explained that the hotel staff have undergone several weeks of training and re-orientation to make them environmentally responsible and conscious of how we affect our environment.
“They are being equipped with the necessary tools required to aid them in leading the change towards an eco-friendly hotel and they are championing the eco – friendly drive with keen interest.
Energy consumption has significantly reduced, several water conservation practices have been adopted, gradually, utensils/ amenities are being replaced with biodegradable options and hundreds of children are being sensitized on the need to reduce our carbon footprint,” Chagoury concluded.
