A seven year old artist, Kendis, has received a full scholarship up to university level and a cash reward of ₦2.5 million from the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, after a portrait he painted of the lawmaker captured public attention on social media.
The young artist was honoured on Sunday during Adeola’s Scholarship and Bursary Award Ceremony, where he presented the original portrait to the senator before a cheering audience.
The recognition followed the widespread circulation of the artwork on TikTok through his father’s account, @noahs_ark.ng, where Kendis narrated the touching story behind the painting.
According to Emmanuel Ojo, who shared the development on Facebook, Kendis was warmly received by Senator Adeola and his wife, Temitope Adeola, before the scholarship and cash reward were announced.
The announcement drew applause from guests at the event, many of whom described the gesture as a significant encouragement for young talents to pursue their dreams.
In the now viral video, Kendis explained that the portrait was inspired by his desire to “paint tomorrow today” after repeatedly hearing his father assure him that better days were ahead.
“My name is Kendis. I am an artist. Let me tell you how it started,” the seven year old said.
Recalling conversations with his father during meals, he said: “Every time my dad gives me rice, he will say, ‘There is no egg, Kendis, ko s’owo, manage. Things will get better soon.’ Every time he gives me garri, he will say, ‘There is no sugar and groundnut, Kendis, ko s’owo, manage. Things will get better soon.'”
The child said he eventually asked his father when the promised “soon” would arrive.
“So one day I asked him, ‘Daddy, when is soon? When will things get better?’ He said, ‘In the nearest future.’ I asked, ‘When is the nearest future?’ He said, ‘Tomorrow.’ Tomorrow never comes for my daddy,” he said.
Determined not to wait endlessly, Kendis said he chose to express hope through his artwork.
“So I told him, instead of waiting for tomorrow to come, let us paint tomorrow today. Let us paint the future now, so we don’t have to wait any longer for tomorrow that never comes,” he added.
He further said: “Through the eye of a little child, we painted our future now. We painted our tomorrow today. We painted joy, hope, happiness and our aspirations. Tomorrow is now. Our future is now.”
