Ikot Ekpene Council Boss Endorses"Arise Creative Champions", Applauds Governor Umo Eno’s Commitment to Youth Empowerment

The Executive Chairman of Ikot Ekpene Local Government Council, Elder (Hon.) Aniefiok Nkom, has officially endorsed Arise Creative Champions, a state-wide creative talent hunt conceived to position Akwa Ibom State as a hub of creative talent, innovation and entertainment. 

Speaking at the Ikot Ekpene Council Secretariat on Tuesday, Hon. Nkom described the initiative as “a timely platform that reflects Governor Umo Eno’s vision to raise a new generation of empowered, creative, and self-sufficient youths under the ARISE Agenda.”

He commended the Special Assistant to the Governor on Creative Talent Development, Emmanuel Owuala, for translating the Governor’s creative economy blueprint into tangible action, adding that the program will “transform hidden talents across the state into tomorrow’s industry leaders.”

Arise Creative Champions seeks to discover, nurture, and empower young talents across six major sectors of the creative industry — Music, Acting, Dancing, Spoken Word and Fine Arts.

The competition will feature district-wide auditions ahead of a grand finale in December at the Christmas Village, Uyo. The schedule is as follows:

Eket Senatorial District: October 21, 2025 – Eden Hotels, Eket (10 a.m.)

Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District: October 28, 2025 – LGA Council Hall, Ikot Ekpene (10 a.m.)

Uyo Senatorial District: November 4, 2025 – Emerald Event Center, Uyo (10 a.m.)

Semi-Finals: November 18, 2025 – Emerald Event Center (10 a.m.)

Grand Finale: December 2025 – Christmas Village, Uyo

Winners in each category will receive ₦3 million, with ₦2 million and ₦1 million going to the first and second runners-up respectively

Hon. Nkom reaffirmed Ikot Ekpene’s readiness to host the district audition and encouraged creative youths within the Senatorial District to seize the opportunity, noting that “Governor Umo Eno is rewriting the creative story of Akwa Ibom, one young dreamer at a time.”

Arise Creative Champions is powered by the Creative Talent Development Desk of the Akwa Ibom State Government — a strategic component of the ARISE Agenda designed to build a sustainable creative ecosystem for the state.

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