27-Year-old Nigerian Student Who Feeds Himself in School as an Artist Opens up on how it Impacted His Life

Though still in school, Olamilekan is able to make ends meet thanks to his artistic skill of painting, The visual arts student from the University of Lagos had always represented anything he found inspiring by making a drawing of it

He stated that his love for painting wasn’t borne out of circumstances and wondered what would have become of him without the skill

A 27-year-old undergraduate at the University of Lagos, Olayemi Olamilekan has said portrait commissions from artistic drawing and painting is what is helping him to live and feed in school.

Olamilekan, In a chat with Legit.ng’s regional reporter in Lagos, Adewunmi Adeoye, wondered how life would have been miserable for him if not for his craft.

Olamilekan makes ends meet as a student through money he realizes from his paintings

The 300 level student is currently studying visual art with a speciality in painting at the said university.

He explained that his love for painting had been from childhood as he loves to represent anything that inspires him.

The young man further explained that the skill deals with inner thought and is original. Hence, he was born with it and was not taught.

He said:

“Oh Allah! I wonder what and how life would have been to me if not for the portrait commissions I get from my artistic drawing and painting.

“So, basically my living and feeding are contingent upon my craft- I have got to do clothings, buy books and also find time to read my courses so I can pass them very well.

“I am currently at 300 level in University of Lagos studying Visual Art, with a degree of specialization in painting.

“I didn’t just love it because it deals with inner thought and is original perhaps am born with it not made.
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“Though, my parents are not artists but right from my childhood I love to represent anything that inspired me.”

The young lad who discovered his painting ability at 6 became Nigeria’s youngest professional artist at the age of 8, Metro.co.uk had reported.

In a video documentary capturing the African prodigy by CGTN and shared by Richard DiPilla on LinkedIn, the lad was seen making nice artworks.

According to the boy named Waris Kareem, he ensures each of his paintings matches real pictures. Social media users have reacted to the documentary video

Source: Legit.Ng