First Lady of Ekiti State, Bisi Fayemi, has urged the Federal Government to ban imported Aso-Oke fabric in order to revive the nation’s textile industry to boost sustainable economic growth.
Mrs Fayemi made the call on Saturday in Lagos at the 2019 Africa Fashion Week Nigeria (AFWN).
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“I will not be a hypocrite to say that we should ban all fabrics because I do wear imported fabrics every now and then,” she said.
“But when it comes to Aso-Oke that I know that our women in our local communities toil at to do; and do not have the capacity to produce to scale, instead of investing in that capacity, we are acquiring a situation that others are coming to rip off our intellectual property.
“So, I join others to call for a ban on imported Aso-Oke from China.”
According to her, Africa’s fashion is all about identity, self-love, dignity, attitude and ownership to preserve its culture, heritage and connection to the international community.
Wife of the Kwara State Governor, Olufolake AbdulRazaq, said that Kwara State produced a lot of Aso-Oke and Adire fabrics used for various events, adding that the state used its fashion as a tool for advocacy, empowerment and social development.
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Business Manager, Corporate Banking, First Bank of Nigeria, Helen Ugboh, said that the bank’s support for the AFWN aimed to increase engagement and international recognition of African fashion which was consistent with its drive to enable SME development.
“In celebrating the bank’s 125th anniversary, we further demonstrated support of the textile industry through our over 18,000 staff within the FBNHoldings group being furnished with customised anniversary Ankara fabric to further reiterate our 125 years of being woven into the fabric of the society,” she said.
