馃嚦馃嚞NigeriaWest Africa
Former President Obasanjo advocates for national institution to preserve Adire craft
via Punch Nigeria4 min read
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for a national framework and dedicated infrastructure to preserve Nigeria's indigenous Adire textile craft, emphasizing its importance as a strategic national priority. Speaking at the annual Ecobank Adire exhibition in Lagos, themed 'Threads Across Borders,' Obasanjo highlighted the need for a permanent visual and operational anchor to showcase this cultural asset globally. He stressed that the preservation efforts must transcend localized initiatives, addressing historical fragmentation that hindered past attempts to institutionalize the trade. Obasanjo noted the challenges posed by cheap foreign counterfeits and the thinning of traditional family-run production lines due to younger generations pursuing formal education. He underlined the immense economic and international value of the fabric industry, suggesting it could anchor a thriving cultural tourism sector. Obasanjo challenged stakeholders and Ecobank to lead this initiative, with Ecobank Nigeria's Managing Director and Regional Executive, Jubril Lawal, confirming the bank's commitment. Obasanjo then nominated himself as the grand patron and insisted on the immediate allocation of a dedicated physical property, 'The Adire House,' to serve as the administrative and creative headquarters for the craft's preservation.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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