The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has said that low patronage of ‘China Adire’ will force its importers from bringing it into the Nigeria markets.
The Ogun State Coordinator of NEPC, Mrs Franssica Odega, stated this at the Ewa Ede Cultural Festival and Adire Textile Training and Exhibition held in Abeokuta, recently.
Odega informed that the federal government would not ban the importation of the fabric into the country, as a result of the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
She insisted that lack of patronage would outrightly discourage importation.
Odega urged Nigerians not to allow the indigenous Adire fabric to go into extinction, while warning traders to desist from selling the imitated ones.
“If we don’t patronize our products, nobody is going to patronize it for us. Forget the narrative that China Adire is cheap, that’s what people are buying, if we don’t patronize our own product, nobody would. China may be cheap and bring some gains, but the repercussions of it is that we will lose our heritage. In time, China will take over.
“This time around, let’s reach a compromise that we won’t wear ‘China Adire’ anymore, we won’t sell it anymore. It is not until the government imposes sanctions because there is a bilateral trade agreement and we also export our goods and want to sell them abroad. Once they import and realise that we fail to patronise the product, no one will tell them to stop the importation.
“Let’s work together and save ourselves from future hunger,” she said.
The Ogun State First Lady, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, applauded the organiser of the programme for preserving the cultural heritage of Yorubas.
Abiodun, who was the Mother of the Day at an event attended by the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo; the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba (Professor) Saka Matemilola and other traditional rulers and High Chiefs of Egbaland, said, “preserving our cultural heritage does not mean stagnant preservation; it’s a living, breathing force that adapts and evolves. The Adire textile training and exhibition are not just about the past; they are about the future. They are about passing the torch to a new generation, empowering them to infuse their creativity into the warp and weft of our cultural identity.”
She lauded the founder of Gbagede Ewaede Foundation, Princess Adejoke Somoye, for her resilience in promoting Adire textiles and infusing the concept of ‘Omoluwabi’ into the younger ones through promotion of Yoruba language.
Somoye, in her remarks, said she would remain committed to the promotion of the rich tradition of the Yoruba people.
While appreciating traditional rulers and the media for their strategic initiatives at promoting indigenous Adire as an asset of Egbaland and Ogun State at large.
The event featured presentation of certificates to 1,000 youths trained by the foundation on the production and marketing of Adire fabrics, and prizes to best Yoruba teacher, students among others.
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