Four state governors, a female fashion entrepreneur and an FCT official have received the African Weaving Festival (AWeF) awards for their dedicated support of indigenous African fabrics.
The awardees include: the governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Alhaji Abba Kabiru Yusuf, the governor of Kano State; Professor Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra State governor; Dr Hyacinth Iormem Alia, the governor od Benue State; Chief Mrs Chinwe Ezenwa, Chairman/MD, Le Look Nigeria; and Hon Bitrus Lawrence Garki, Mandate Secretary, Area Council Services, FCT.
Governor Abiodun was awarded Pillar of Administrative Excellence in the Promotion of Indigenous Fabrics. Governor Yusuf was designated Pillar of Excellence in Sustaining Nigeria’s Traditional Textile Technology, while his Anambra State counterpart was awarded Pillar of Excellence in Promoting Akwete Heritage. Governor Alia received the AWeF Pillar of Excellence in Promoting Nigeria’s Indigenous Fabrics, Chief Ezenwa nabbed the festival’s Pillar of Excellence in the Promotion of Indigenous Fabrics via Global Branding, and Hon Garki took home the Pillar of Excellence in Promoting Ageside Heritage award.
Wife of the Osun State Governor, Erelu Ngozi Abeni Adeleke was conferred the Matron of AWeF.
Pleased with the award and recognition, Adeleke represented by Princess Chinwe Okafor urged all women to embrace the skill of weaving not solely as a means of artistic expression but as a source of empowerment, and economic independence.
“Let us engage in this time-honoured craft celebrating our heritage, while building a bright future for ourselves and generations to come. Let us celebrated our shared heritage through the art of weaving.”
On his part, Hon Garki, who raised the question of why African culture has remained non-dynamic compared to the rest of the world’s, urged stakeholders in the Nigerian and African indigenous fabrics to innovate African fabrics to ensure they become globally competitive products.
“African culture has one of the most beautiful and captivating cultures. If we are able to tweak our fabrics a little, we can make them global. Our cultures are deeply rooted in our symbols and patterns. We are entitled to every fabric be it Igbo, Benue, Yoruba. I cannot wear Ageside traditional gear in a hot weather.
But I should be able to wear silk, linen that have identity (motifs, patterns, designs, symbols) of where I am coming from. This way, we are able to diversify and still be able to show our identity in other fabrics.”
Governor Alia, via his representative called on stakeholders of the African fabrics to brainstorm on means to industrialize indigenous fabrics weaving via technology and the mechanization of the sector to reduce labor-intensive hours in weaving.
Representative of the Governor of Kano State, Hon Commissioner of Culture, Hajiya Ladidi Ibrahim Garko, while commending AWeF for the initiative, described Kano as the center of culture in northern Nigeria. She further extended an invitation to African weavers to the Kano Festival of Arts scheduled to hold later in the year.
Appreciation awardees and participants, Samuel Agbi one of the four directors of the festival, including Mr Sheida Tijani, Dr Lizzy Ben-Iheanacho, and Ladi Dangana, noted that they are working towards a bigger, better and global showcase in the future.
AWeF held 13th to 17th May, at the Exhibition Pavilion, Abuja.