By Henry Uche
In line with its vision of finding new ways to make dreams possible, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings and member of Standard Bank Group, has rewarded 12 creative Nigerian youngsters, winners of the FUZE Talent Hunt, with N32 million naira.
Recently, at the FUZE Festival, winners of the FUZE Talent Hunt from music, dance, fashion, and technology categories walked away with N5 million naira each.
The first Runner-up and second Runner-up from each category were also rewarded with N2 million naira and N1 million naira, respectively.
In addition to the financial support, they will receive industry recognition and access to mentorship opportunities to support their creative careers and enterprise.
The FUZE Talent Hunt is a platform curated for creative young Nigerians making strides in music, dance, fashion and technology. Over 4,000 entries were received digitally via the Stanbic IBTC Events App, 40 contestants were shortlisted for the quarterfinals, 24 contestants made it to the semifinals and 12 to the finals.
Details of the auditions, contests and finale will be revealed in a three-part episode of the FUZE Talent Hunt which would be aired in Q1 2023 on selected media channels across the country.
The top three winners got the chance to perform live for the first time at the FUZE Festival, held at the Livespot Entertainment Centre, Lekki, Lagos; a first-of-its-kind event hosted by Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers.
Olumide Oyetan, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, said the organisation did well to seek, discover and empower young talents whose ingenuity deserved to be in the limelight, noting, “It is a proof of being responsible,”
Olumide stated that the FUZE Festival equally allowed Nigerian business owners to showcase their products at the event for free, thereby positioning them for visibility and patronage. He described FUZE as an experience that was created to add positive value for everyone who participated.
Nike Bajomo, Executive Director, Business Development, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, congratulated the winners and thanked all those who worked hard to make the event a remarkable success.
Her words, “Asides from being a merry and exhilarating venture, the FUZE Festival was also impactful and timely. The event was aimed at making Nigerians end the year 2022 on a high note regardless of what the rest of the year had been like.”
It was also an entire day of fun and excitement at the FUZE Festival. Attendees had a great time enjoying a robust Marketplace with an amazing shopping experience where they bought items at discounted prices.
Guests also enjoyed fun games with lots of food and drinks, face and body painting for kids and adults with many other entertaining activities for individuals and their families to celebrate the yuletide. Nigerian musical artistes – Ladipoe, Teni, and Wurld performed and thrilled the audience at the event.
Also in attendance at the FUZE Festival were Ikechukwu Eric Ahiauzu (Ric Hassani), Founder of Riverlands Records, who judged the Music Category; Banke Kuku-Lawson, Founder & Creative Director of Banke Kuku, judged the Fashion Category; Bunmi Olunloyo, Founder & Creative Director of Bailamos Dance Company judged the Dance Category, while Stanley Jacob, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Financial Services, judged the Tech Category.