In order to protect the Nigerian market from any harm caused by Chinese products, former president Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the government to forbid the import of Chinese Adire cloth and other goods.
Obasanjo pleaded for the government to take action to shield native Adire production from rivalry from Chinese imports and other locally produced goods.
The former politician voiced his concern that the resources required to produce Adire, which were previously supplied from Kano, Kaduna, and Ado-Ekiti, have become rare during his opening remarks at the “Canada Trade Mission,’24” conference in Abeokuta.
As reported by The Nation, he said: “The government should ban the importation of Chinese Adire not only for Adire alone but all other things we produce in Nigeria.
“I want to urge you not to only rely on the Adire Sellers Association alone, let join hands with those who promote Adire and other stakeholders to have an Association that will be named ‘Adire Association’ with chapters where Abeokuta will be the Headquarters, and I’m ready to devote myself as the patron of the Association.”
To guarantee a local supply of materials for the creation of Adire, Obasanjo made a plea to the federal government to revitalize the nation’s textile sector. In addition, he supported the creation of an official training facility where people could acquire the skills necessary to create Adire and obtain certification upon finishing their studies.
The Ogun State Ministry of Culture & Tourism’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Oluwatosin Oloko, and Pelican Valley realtor Babatunde Adeyemo were among the guest speakers at the event, which was hosted by Solteque Nigeria Ltd.
