8th December, 2023
By Adejoke Adeleye/Ogun
Lawmakers in Ogun House of Assembly have passed a resolution requesting that the State Government put machinery in motion to stem the subtle take-over of Adire Kampala local industry by foreigners.
The lawmakers passed the resolution following a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, seconded by the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye and supported by other lawmakers at a plenary presided over by Speaker Olakunle Oluomo during the plenary at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Opening debate on the motion, the sponsor, Hon. Babatunde Tella, decried the influx of imported /foreign adire into the local market which had been eroding the rich cultural heritage of the people of the State.
He, therefore, called on the Ministries of Trade and Investment, Culture and Tourism as well as Women Affairs to investigate the matter, while pleading with the State Government to partner with the Federal Government in assisting the local adire fabric makers to have smooth export of their product to protect the nation’s growing economy.
Corroborating Tella’s submission, his colleague-lawmakers all rose in unison to support the motion and commended the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and some notable monarchs for always promoting by adorning the indigenous adire at all times.
They explained that the influx of foreign adire had created challenges including a high rate of unemployment and imitation of the creativity of the people of the State, positing that it had become imperative for the State Government to checkmate this trend which posed a threat to the State’s GDP.
The lawmakers unanimously solicited the support of the National Assembly to consider classifying the imported Adire as contraband goods to protect the local economy of the State.
Responding, Speaker Oluomo, who commended the sponsor of the resolution, equally acknowledged Governor Abiodun’s untiring efforts at promoting the rich cultural heritage of the State, assuring that the Assembly would work towards enacting a bill to further strengthen and protect the local economy for the benefit of the people.