Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC, Otunba Segun Runsewe, has commended Osun State Governor Adeboyega Oyetola for what he described as the reawakening of cultural fashion, saying the efforts deserve national accolade.
In particular, Runsewe gave thumb up for the Governor who has compelled all public and civil servants to wear the Osun State variant of local Adire fabric, known as Adire Eleko to work, starting from August 27, 2021.
In issuing the directive, Oyetola reasoned that it was a way of reviving the dying cultural fashion of the people who were noted for their artistic and cultural tourism endowments.
Otunba Segun Runsewe who is also the President, Africa Region of the World Craft Council (WCC) stated that the declaration of August 27 as Adire Osun Day by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, resonates with the vision and aspirations of the Federal Government to grow and focus on indigenous cultural tourism engagements, adding that time has come for Nigerians to embrace our indigenous and traditional ways of life. This, he added, entails wearing, eating and speaking Nigeria.
“The Cultural Adire fabric revolution started with Ogun State, and Osun State Governor has taken it further to a refreshing dimension, factoring international leverage and making it a citizens project which is commendable, deserving our support and encouragement,” Runsewe further explained.
He urged other state governors to pay more attention to, and indeed, exploit the cultural tourism and indigenous economy in their jurisdictions so as to create jobs for the youth and women in the rural areas.
Osun State, noted for its iconic Osun Osogbo cultural festival, is home to the Adire variant, Adire Eleko peculiar to the state. The ancient city is also noted culturally as Ilu Aro (Home of Dye).
Governor Oyetola, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Wole Oyebamiji, during last Saturday’s Osun fashion week, held in Osogbo, the state capital, restarted the commitment of the government to diversify and prioritize the culture tourism endowments to gain the youths through job openings.
“We shall partner with Musty Great Development and Alexanderia Jones Couture, based in the United States to market the Osun Adire fabric to the world,” the SSG reiterated.