“Not Good Enough”: Obasanjo Wants Tinubu To Ban Chinese Adire, Gives Reason
- Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged Bola Tinubu to ban the importation of Chinese textile materials
- Obasanjo said the imports have taken over and are undermining the efficiency of local producers of Adire fabrics
- He also stressed the need for government to protect items that could be produced locally from foreign influx
The federal government has been urged to ban the importation of Chinese Adire into the country.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo made this call while speaking at a press conference in Abeokuta on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.
Source: UGC
According to Obasanjo, the ban will save the local market of adire fabrics from imminent "bastardisation" by the Chinese, Punch reports.
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 and stop it.
We also have to 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.”
The elder statesman also appealed to the federal government to revive the nation's textile industries to make the raw materials for Adire production available for local manufacturers.
He further asked government to establish a formal training institution where people would learn to produce Adire and obtain certification.
His words:
"I want to express my appreciation to the Traditional rulers who attended this event, highlighting the importance of our culture.
"People are saying China want to bastardise our Adire product. It is good but not good enough if we don’t have Adire sellers in the market.
"However, its success depends on the active participation of Adire sellers.
"The scarcity of fabrics required for Adire production, previously sourced from places like Kano, Kaduna, and Ado-Ekiti, is a significant challenge.
"To revive Adire production, we must unite sellers, manufacturers, and promoters, and the government's assistance is essential.
"We urge the government to revitalize the textile industry and establish a training institution for Adire production, ultimately safeguarding our local production from external influences, like China."
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