By Emmauel Uffot
Plans have been concluded for Ecobank Nigeria has to host a Photography, Arts and Design Exhibition (PADE) as part of activities to commemorate this year’s World Photography Day. Usually celebrated on August 19, the World Photography Day is an annual, worldwide celebration of the art, craft, science, and history of photography.
According to Jide Sipe, Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Ecobank Nigeria, the exhibition was conceived by the bank to help showcase the brilliance of Nigerian creatives to the world, stating that the 3-day event themed ‘A Canvas for Africa’s Creatives’ will hold in its state-of-the-art head office complex, Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC) on Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island from Friday August 19 to Sunday August 21, 2022.
Mr Sipe, who said that the general public is invited to attend the event free of charge, explained that the exhibition is part of the bank’s current strategy as a Pan African Bank to sustain its legacy as a foremost supporter of the creative industry in the country. He noted that it the aim of the exhibition is to provide a platform for harnessing and powering the creativity of the African continent. He further explained that the event will witness an assemblage of creative influencers in photography, visual arts, vocal and dramatic arts, and designs, adding that there will also be digital engagement ideas for creatives, photography contest and draws on social media, amongst others.
“At the event, we expect portrait photographers, event photographers, landscape photo artists and basically everyone with lenses to capture moments and frame memories in time. We also expect creative influencers in visual arts such as painters, calligraphers, cartoonists, make-up artist and basically everyone good with a brush or pen. In attendance too will be spoken word poets, influencers, videographers and basically everyone who can compose a distinct audio-visual reality. We are in contact with architects, interior designers, graphic designers and basically everyone who enjoys bringing abstractions to life. There will also be side attractions, including games, photobooths, performances, VR station for kids, and 3D virtual art displays,” he said.
Just like the general public, the bank’s image maker further called on all creatives and influencers to do short videos introducing and showcasing themselves on social media. “We will have a contest where people would take pictures or paint a notable Nigerian Landmark and share their inspiration with us. Participants must hashtag their photos or paintings with #Padebyecobank to participate. There will also be a raffle draw on social media to determine who wins the free family photoshoot during the exhibition. This is open to people who attend the exhibition. It is a total package.”
“At the event, we expect portrait photographers, event photographers, landscape photo artists and basically everyone with lenses to capture moments and frame memories in time. We also expect creative influencers in visual arts such as painters, calligraphers, cartoonists, make-up artist and basically everyone good with a brush or pen. In attendance too will be spoken word poets, influencers, videographers and basically everyone who can compose a distinct audio-visual reality. We are in contact with architects, interior designers, graphic designers and basically everyone who enjoys bringing abstractions to life. There will also be side attractions, including games, photobooths, performances, VR station for kids, and 3D virtual art displays,” he said.
One of the key art exhibitors expected at the two day event is a foremost Nigerian Painter and cartoonist Olu Ajayi. Ajayi is a Nigerian painter, cartoonist and art reviewer. He is a past president of the Society of Nigerian Artists, Lagos chapter and a founding member of Guild of Professional Fine Artists.
He is one of the early pioneers of water colour paintings in Nigeria. His works had been commissioned for several institutions including commercial banks, churches, galleries and blue-chip companies.
Most of his works have been exhibited in Nigeria, Africa and Europe and they have served as a consultant across local and international art platforms.
The bank says Ajayi will be one of their exhibitors for PADE and he will be there to showcase all of his beautiful artworks.
This photography exhibition is one of the many of the many exhibitions the Pan African bank has hosted this year.
Recalled that in March 12, the bank hosted a free entrepreneurship training exhibition for women. This was followed by a two day ‘Adire’ exhibition in June 2022 in Lagos which showcased Nigeria’s local textiles.
Ecobank Nigeria Limited was Incorporated as a public limited liability company on October 7, 1986, Ecobank Nigeria Ltd is a subsidiary of Africa’s leading independent banking group, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI). Ecobank is a full-service bank providing wholesale, retail, investment and transaction banking services and products to governments, financial institutions, multinationals, international organizations, medium, small and micro businesses and individuals.
Following the successful acquisition of Oceanic Bank International by the Ecobank group, Ecobank Nigeria has become a top tier bank in Nigeria in terms of assets, customer base, deposits and branches. The bank currently operates a consolidated on-line, real time branch network in over 450 locations across the country.
Ecobank had previously acquired the deposit liabilities and customers of the defunct All States Trust Bank Plc, Hallmark Bank Plc and African International Bank Plc (AIB).
Today, Ecobank is the leading pan-African bank with operations in 36 countries across the continent, more than any other bank in the world. It currently operates in countries in West, Central , East and Southern Africa, namely Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Group also has a licensed operation in Paris and representative offices in Beijing, Dubai, Johannesburg, London and Luanda.
The Ecobank Group is a full-service bank focused on Middle Africa. It provides wholesale, retail, investment and transactional banking services to governments, financial institutions, multinationals, local companies, SMEs and individuals. Ecobank’s services are delivered by four customer-focused business segments, Corporate Bank, Commercial Bank, Consumer Bank and Ecobank Capital all of which are supported by an Integrated IT platform operated by eProcess, the group’s technology subsidiary.
Corporate Bank provides financial solutions to global and regional corporates, public corporates, financial institutions and international organizations. Its products focus on pan-African lending, trade services, cash management, internet banking and value chain finance. Consumer and Commercial Bank provides convenient, accessible and reliable financial products and services to retail, local corporate, public sector and microfinance customers, leverages an extensive branch and ATM network as well as mobile, internet and remittances banking platforms.
Ecobank Capital provides treasury, corporate finance and investment banking, securities and asset management solutions to corporate and governmental customers. There is also a Research team within Ecobank Capital in key markets, providing unique information support capabilities.
Ecobank operates as “One Bank” with common branding, standards, policies, processes to provide a consistent and reliable service across its unique network of 1,305 branches, 2,426 ATMs, and 13,800 POS machines servicing over 10 million customers. The bank has an integrated information technology platform, with all of its operations successfully migrated onto a single core banking application: Oracle FLEXCUBE. With over 19,565 employees, the Group is the largest employer of labour in the financial sector industry in Middle Africa.
