Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has passionately urged the Federal Government to prohibit the importation of Chinese adire fabrics into the country, citing the need to safeguard the local adire market from potential “bastardisation” by foreign competitors.
Obasanjo, speaking at the ‘Canada Trade Mission ‘24’ pre-conference session in Abeokuta, expressed deep concern over the dwindling availability of materials for producing adire in Nigeria.
He pointed out that the materials traditionally sourced from Kano, Kaduna, and Ado-Ekiti are now scarce.
To address this issue, he implored the government to revive the nation’s textile industries, ensuring a consistent supply of raw materials for adire production.
In addition to advocating for the protection of the local adire industry, Obasanjo emphasized the importance of establishing formal training institutions for individuals interested in learning how to produce adire.
These institutions would provide certification upon course completion, fostering skilled artisans and furthering the industry’s growth.
Obasanjo’s appeal to curb the importation of Chinese adire comes in the wake of concerns about foreign competition potentially undermining the indigenous adire market.
He stressed that concerted efforts from both the government and the adire community are necessary to preserve and strengthen this essential part of Nigerian culture.
The former president’s call resonates with the broader goal of nurturing domestic industries and protecting local artisans from the economic challenges posed by cheap imports.
