10-year-old Oluwademilade Odumuboni, a student at Corona School in Gbagada, Lagos, has claimed the global grand prize in the prestigious 2022/23 Toyota Dream Car Art Contest. His innovative concept, a waste converter aimed at enhancing food production and environmental cleanliness in African communities, triumphed over submissions from an astonishing 782,852 participants across 90 countries.
The young Nigerian prodigy’s idea is a testament to the potential of young minds in addressing critical global issues. In recognition of his achievement, Odumuboni was awarded $5,000 in prize money, along with a plaque and certificate, during a special event organized by Toyota Nigeria Limited. His school, Corona School, was also honored with a generous sum of $10,000, designated for educational purposes.
Kunle Ade-Ojo, Managing Director of Toyota Nigeria Limited, lauded Odumuboni’s creativity, noting that it had placed him firmly on the global stage. He remarked, “His unique and truly inspirational idea expressed in an equally creative drawing earned him a global grand prize in the contest, beating over 782,852 contestants from 90 countries/regions. This way, Toyota is also cultivating a lifetime friendship with all these children while encouraging them to care for our planet and push their imagination beyond limits.”
The Toyota Dream Car Art Contest is an annual competition organized by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in Japan, inviting schoolchildren from around the world to depict their dream cars with unrestrained creativity. In Nigeria, nine winners are selected annually across three age categories: Category 1 (children not older than seven years), Category 2 (8-11 years), and Category 3 (12-15 years old). These winners then compete at the global level, with Odumuboni emerging as one of the three grand prize winners worldwide.
Henrietta Eguagie, the Head Teacher of Corona School, expressed her pride in Odumuboni’s remarkable achievement, stating that he had brought glory to the school. She also commended Toyota for its initiative in inspiring young minds to unleash their creative expression and artistic potential. Eguagie affirmed, “As one of Nigeria’s leading educational institutions, we are dedicated to utilizing this prize money in a manner that directly benefits the learning experiences and development of our students.”
- Tags: Cleaner Africa, Corona, Ouwademilade Odumuboni, Toyota
