The management of Global Adire Egba Development Limited on Tuesday resolved to strengthen its collaboration and partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, to establish a global “Adire Village” in Abeokuta to tackle the challenge of the growing imitation of the local tie and dye fabric while boosting Adire production in the state.
The Chairman, Committee of Adire Global Village, Oluyinka Kufile, disclosed this when he led other members of the committee to pay a visit to the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, at his Ake Palace, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
Kufile maintained that the initiative will consolidate and empower the indigenous Adire industry in Abeokuta through the creation of a world-class Adire Village, offering infrastructure, synergy, innovation, and cultural pride.
He also submitted that the vision of the organisation is to promote sustainability, combat threats from cheap imports, and preserve the cultural heritage of Adire craftsmanship by organising the industry into a formal, empowered cooperative.
The business tycoon added that the initiative will also put an end to the infiltration of the Adire market by substandard Chinese products.
He said” We are ready to partner with SMEDAN to establish A “Global Adire Village” in Abeokuta and we have reached agreement with the agency and it is ready to collaborate with us as to achieve our aims, although the DG is not here but the the Ogun State manager of SMEDAN is here and he has assured of their readiness to work with us.
“The need to produce enough Adire, curb Chinese incursion into the Adire market, reduce the cost of production, make materials available and affordable, and make Nigerians believe more in indigenous Adire products, among others, prompted the initiation of the Adire Village”.
He added that the initiative was a collective idea of Egbaland.
