Entertainment
A fashion promoter, Ayodotun Akinbote on Saturday appealed to Nigerians to always buy and sell Made-in-Nigeria -Nigeria products instead of enriching foreign pockets.
Akinbote, popularly known as ‘AY’ and the organiser of the three-day, “Ready-To-Wear (R2W) In-Nigeria-By Nigerians” Fashion Expo 2018, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
NAN reports that the three-day expo with the theme, “The New Frontiers’’, will end on Sunday, March 25.
According to him, Nigerians need to blow their trumpets themselves to encourage one another to embrace Nigerian fabrics and make them more acceptable internationally.
“If we do not blow our trumpets, nobody will. We need to encourage ourselves to come together to sell and buy our own products.’’
AY, the Executive Director of Corazone Advertising Agency said that the fashion expo was meant to sell Nigerian pride to the world.
“We are selling Nigeria, we are selling Africa, we are selling our pride, the collage is quite amazing and we must take up the task to boost our pride.
“The earlier we stop enriching foreign pockets, the better for our economy because we are only importing and buying from foreign land what we can produce,’’ he told NAN.
The fashion promoter explained that boycotting Nigeria made products for foreign ones had been reducing the value of the Nigerian products before the international community.
“If we encourage our people to keep on buying foreign products at the expense of ours, that will affect our economy,” he said.
AY pleaded with the government to support the promotion of indigenous fashion saying it could take Nigeria to the next level.
Similarly, Mr Eizu Uwaoma, the host of the show, told NAN that Nigeria needed to boost its technology in the fashion industry.
Uwaoma said that by so doing the ready-to-wear production would gain prominence and become famous in few years time.
“Technology is an economy booster; it has been applied in almost all sections of our economy except the fashion industry.
“For the success of any economy, every sector must be included in the upgrading of technology and the fashion industry must not be left out.
“It is a known fact that Nigeria is one of the biggest consumers of fashionables yet, we prefer to enrich non Nigerian fashion entrepreneurs.’’
According to him, if the fashion industry, especially the ready-to-wear section, is well harnessed, it will reduce the problem of unemployment in the country.
“Fashion is a labour intensive industry.
“It can take a chunk of our youths off the street especially if the technology of having production hubs is put in place, ” he said.
Uwaoma said that mass producing Nigerian products would definitely reduce importation of foreign garments and accessories.
“When we boost our production internally, we will be conserving our much needed foreign exchange and aiding our export promotion drive which will balance our bi-lateral foreign trade.’’
He argued that developing this sector would surely help develop many other aspects of the value chain.
The fashion promoter also said that boosting technology in the sector would definitely result to production of high quality and affordable ready-to-wear in Nigeria.
“Nigerian designers can produce high quality and affordable ready-to-wear garments, but they can only achieve this if technology was encouraged in the industry.’’
NAN correspondent at the show reports that the fashion show was organised by R2W Pioneers group.
The exhibition kicked off with not less than 34 fashion designers who displayed at various stands.
Children, ladies and men’s garments, boot wears, beads and accessories, bags, wrist bands, hats and other fashion wears were also on display at the expo.
Excited buyers trooped in to pick up their choices as the highest buyer was promised an undisclosed gift by the organisers.
Some of the lined up activities are: exhibition of Nigerian- made fabrics, designs and fashion products and an award ceremony to distinguished fashion designers. (NAN)
– Mar. 24, 2018 @ 17:57 GMT |
Tags: Comedian `AY’ advises Nigerians Patronise Made-in-Nigeria fabrics
