Whizz kids are rare, let’s encourage world’s youngest artist in our midst

Enchantment may not be the appropriate word to describe my feelings for the delightful news. Maybe heavenly is the closest description. 

But whatever it is, searching for an appropriate description underscores my gut feeling on reading a British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) story about an impressive colouring feat of a Ghanaian toddler yet to turn two years old.

The toddler, Ace-Liam Nana Sam Ankrah’s listing in the Guinness Book of Records as the youngest male colouring achievement is stirring. For the parents, kudos. For all other young parents, it is an inspiring achievement to know and learn from. How did it all start?

Invention

The saying, necessity is the mother of invention came true in a single artist Mother’s life. Wondering how to keep her toddler son busy for the peace of mind to get on with her work and in the absence of a baby minder or house help, she would give her six-month-old baby son paper and crayons to keep him busy.

That act of necessity has paid off big time as within months, it has produced a Guinness World Record breaker (GWR) for her toddler son. The saying, “Catch them young” is apt in this case of Ace-Liam who at the tender age of only 22 months is breaking world records for something never intended.

One probably has many more of him around. Unfortunately, however, we have a peculiar culture that does not encourage creativity and ingenuity, especially in children, not to talk about toddlers or babies.

The BBC story which recently brought the toddler’s unique achievement to the limelight on social media captured a Mother’s joy in having her toddler son officially recognised as such. The mother, Chantelle Kuukua Eghan, an artist of eight years, said her son already knows how colours complement each other even at that age.

The mother told BBC that her son’s remarkable exploits in painting was first realised when he was only six months old. Nonetheless, it is relishing to learn from the news report that the toddler’s work was exhibited at the Museum of Science and Technology in Accra between December last year and January this year.

Even more savouring is the fact that people were enchanted with the toddler’s paintings to the extent that at the exhibition, the mother was able to sell nine of his ten pieces of artwork that were on display.  The exhibition apparently had to be done for the whizz kid to qualify for the GWR. In all, he is said to have already sold 15 paintings throughout his young “career” so far.

Culture

Toddler Ace-Liam’s enthralling achievement is an encourager for all young parents. Unfortunately, we live in a culture where we tend to shut children up when they ask too many questions, forgetting that their “why” is the beginning of their investigative prowess.

Rather than inspire them to be bold and assertive, while guiding them to what is right, we shut them down with name-callings that only dampen the spirit. We throw their attempts of creativity out of the window, rather than cheering their efforts and giving them leads, where appropriate.

In effect, one does not encourage innovation and freedom in our children.  We do not allow them to freely create as they exploit and get to know more about the world around them.

Regrettably, we are increasingly introducing our children, even as babies, to the world of cartoons based on Western cultures while supporting someone else’s ingenuity to make money. Children are glued to mobile applications that give them 24-hour access to varied cartoon creations.

They are enjoying them and so they become dependent on watching cartoons even at family meal times.  Admittedly, the selfish nature of parents is exhibited here. Giving their children mobile phones and tablets to watch their favourite cartoons gives them also the time to focus on themselves.

How about giving them something creative to exercise their minds in place of learning cultures that are far removed? Let parents find or introduce periods of engaging busyness for the children in a world where for five days in the week, it is all schooling and homework.

How about creating some periods over the weekend for playtime and giving the children an opportunity to do something on their own with their minds and hands outside the classroom scene and away from watching cartoons?

The success story of creative toddler Ace-Liam should be pushed as far as it can go, even beyond WBR.  His beautiful start should find sponsors within and outside the family to enable him to reach higher heights beyond the world of painting.

Yes, Ghana has young talents that must be nurtured, harvested and sold on local and international markets.

The way one sees it, we are in the process of nurturing our own version of the Leonardo da Vincis, Michael Angelos and Pablo Picassos of Western fame and our own Ablade Glover as well as other contemporary painters/visual artists including Serge Atukwei Clottey, Kwame Akoto and Zohra Opoku.

Let us support the toddler painter, Ace-Liam to break barriers. He definitely has talents that will sell.

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The writer can be contacted via email:vickywirekoandoh@yahoo.com