Obasanjo Calls for Ban on Chinese Adire, Promotes Local Training

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has passionately called upon the Federal Government to prohibit the importation of Chinese adire into the country, citing the urgent need to safeguard the local adire market from potential “bastardization” at the hands of the Chinese.

In a compelling appeal, Obasanjo implored the government to exhaust all possible measures to preserve the local production of adire and, by extension, all other goods that could be manufactured within the country’s borders. The elder statesman made this impassioned plea during his opening remarks on Monday in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, as part of the ‘Canada Trade Mission ’24’ pre-conference session.

The event was organized by Solteque Nigeria Ltd and featured distinguished guest speakers, including Realtor Babatunde Adeyemo of the Pelican Valley and Mrs. Oluwatosin Oloko, the Permanent Secretary of the Ogun State Ministry of Culture & Tourism, among others.

Obasanjo’s appeal was two-fold. First, he urged the Federal Government to rekindle the nation’s textile industries to ensure a steady supply of raw materials for adire production. Secondly, he advocated for the establishment of a formal training institution where individuals could learn the art of adire production and receive certification upon completing their training.

In his words, “I want to appreciate the traditional rulers who attended this event; you have shown that you are real custodians of culture. People are saying China wants to undermine our adire product, which is only a problem because we fail to appreciate what we have. I want to commend the Ogun State government for the Oja Itoku initiative in the adire market. It’s a good start, but not enough if we don’t have adire sellers in the market.

“The clothes used for adire production are in Nigeria; they were once sourced from Kano, Kaduna, and Ado-Ekiti, but this is no longer the case. If we want to produce adire, where will we find the fabrics? What we need to do is join hands—adire sellers, manufacturers, and promoters—to protect our local adire production. What the government needs to do for us is not extensive. First, they need to revive the textile industry; let us implore them to do so. Second, they should establish a formal training institution where people can learn how to produce adire and earn certification at the end of their training. Let us beseech the government to do everything in their power to safeguard our local adire production, preventing the Chinese from compromising its integrity.”

Furthermore, the Chief Executive Officer of Pelican Valley Nigeria Limited, Dr. Babatunde Adeyemo, highlighted the potential of the real estate sector as a means to attract Nigerian investors residing abroad. He stressed that investing in real estate could enhance the nation’s foreign exchange reserves, bolster the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Ogun State through direct assessment taxes on investors, and create job opportunities and wealth for both current and future generations.

Adeyemo shared, “I want to showcase the opportunities within real estate investment. This is a platform for you to witness someone who has successfully invested in real estate and wants to share his experience to inspire and motivate others. God granted me the privilege to initiate a real estate business with a modest amount of capital, which has brought us recognition in Ogun, Nigeria, and globally.

“One of our clients is the organizer of this event. Our association with him persuaded him to return to Nigeria after purchasing land and building his home in our estate. He also established a company and initiated this event to benefit his people and not just himself.”

Adeyemo further disclosed that they had successfully attracted over 400 Nigerians in the Diaspora to return home. Within his company’s venture, they counted nearly 100 individuals who had purchased land from them.

He also emphasized that, just as the export of adire is being explored, real estate is an equally promising sector that can be harnessed for development. Real estate offers opportunities for people to contribute to the growth of Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.

In conclusion, the call to preserve local industries, like adire production, resonates with the need to protect and promote domestic manufacturing. Obasanjo’s plea for government intervention to safeguard adire production from foreign competition, particularly from the Chinese market, underscores the importance of supporting and sustaining local industries to ensure economic growth, job creation, and cultural preservation. Similarly, Adeyemo’s emphasis on the potential of real estate investment highlights the role that real estate can play in economic development and attracting investment to Nigeria. These perspectives collectively shed light on the diverse opportunities and challenges facing Nigeria’s economic landscape.