Nigerian government urged to ban imports of Chinese Adire fabric into the country.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo called for a ban on Chinese Adire imports during a press conference in Abeokuta on October 24, 2023.
Obasanjo said that a ban on Chinese Adire imports would protect the local Adire market from being ‘bastardized’ by inferior Chinese products.
His statement reads:
“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.”
Obasanjo urged the Federal government to revitalize the nation’s textile industries and make raw materials for Adire production available to local manufacturers.
He also proposed the establishment of a formal training institute where individuals can learn to produce Adire and receive certification upon completion.
His proposal:
“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.”
