Weavers of
Aso-Ofi from Iseyin area of Oyo State have appealed to the State Government and
traditional rulers to intensify the promotion of Aso-Ofi as part of
efforts to
attract investors.
Mr Kazeem
Adewuyi, the Chairman, Iseyin Weavers and Marketers Association made the appeal
in Ibadan on Thursday after an inter-ministerial briefing by the State Ministry
of Information, Culture and Tourism.
The News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the association is partnering with the
state government on the hosting of second edition of `Aso-Ofi Day’ scheduled to
hold on Sept. 15 and 16 in Iseyin.
NAN reports
that the association also partnered the state government in September 2016 to
host the first edition of Aso-Ofi day in commemoration of World Tourism Day.
Adewuyi said that the fabric was yet to gain the expected prominence across the
world, saying its acceptability across the world would boost the nation’s
economy.
He said that
the association had developed the fabric into various designs and style, which
were now being used for several products, ranging from bags, shoes, suits to
mention a few.
The chairman
called for more collaborative efforts to make the product attractive and to be
accepted worldwide.
Adewuyi also
charged the state government to ensure that the international market was built
as promised, pledging its support to government’s industrial initiatives.
Meanwhile, Oyo State Government has approved 13.5 hectares of land for the
establishment of Aso-Ofi International Tourism Market in Iseyin area of the
state.
Mr Toye
Arulogun, the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism said that
the foundation of the international market would be laid by the governor on
Sept. 16.
“The Aso-Ofi
International Tourism Market will contain 500 weaving sheds and workshops, 500
exhibition shops, a warehouse, first indigenous textile museum in Nigeria, a
fire station, a clinic and a police station,’’ he said.
He said that
the state was determined to fully reap maximally from the economic potentials
of Aso-Ofi. According to him, Aso-Ofi festival is conceptualised to showcase
and celebrate the locally made fabric that is now an internationally accepted
brand.
“The
celebration opened our eyes wider to the potential that abound, which include
trade and commercial activities likewise employment and job creation.
“Financial institutions have also been having serious and genuine engagements
with the weavers and marketers while export opportunities are also being
exploited.”
Arulogun
said that 2017 edition was expected to attract Iseyin sons and daughters at
home and in the Diaspora as well as national and international tourists and
traders.
He said that
the state government through the ministry currently operated Identity, Package,
Promote and Partner (IPPP) policy. The commissioner said that data base for all
the cultural tourism potential in the state had been created to package and
make them more attractive.
Arulogun
said that the government was now in the process of short listing companies for
the Public Private Partnership engagement of major cultural tourism sites
across the state.
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