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Concerned by the need to further protect the rich cultural heritage of Egba Land, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo has inaugurated a committee to address the influx and sales of fake (Chinese) Adire within Abeokuta metropolis.
Speaking to newsmen after the inauguration at the Ake palace in Abeokuta on Wednesday, the Alake explained that it has imperative for him as the custodian of the history and cultural values of Egbaland to find a lasting solution to the supply of counterfeit fabrics into Abeokuta.
Explaining the negative effect of the supply of the China-made Adire to the local economy, the monarch sought for an improved enlightenment on the people with a view to enabling them promote the local adire fabrics which reflects the creativity of the Egbas.
He tasked the committee to ensure they know where the fake Adire was being produced and brought into Abeokuta market, adding that the business of Adire had taken many youths and homes out of poverty, criminal activities, saying he would not fold his arms and allow the people to suffer due to infiltration.
The monarch applauded the Mojibade of Egbaland, Princess Comfort Omotade for her untiring efforts at ensuring that the counterfeit fabrics was being eradicated, describing her as a special advocate for the preservation of locally made Adire being one of the prime Egba cultural heritage.
”This committee is set up in order to tackle the influx of fake (Chinese) Adire in markets in the state capital. We must not allow infiltration and our name as Egba must not be tarnished.
”Adire started in Itoku, here in Abeokuta , it is our trade and there is need to ensure that the quality of our Adire is not tampered with.
”Before we can say something is not good, we must first ensure that ours is better and we must ensure quality control in our Adire production,” he said.
The Paramount ruler assured that he would be ready to contribute his quota to ensure that the business of Adire continued to prosper and also boost the economy of the state and Nigeria as a whole.
In her words, a strong advocate of the local economy and member of the committee, the Mojibade of Egbaland, Princess Comfort Omotade commended the Monarch for rising to the yearnings of Egba sons and daughters through through the inauguration of the Committee, assuring that she would devote her wealth of experience and expertise to enable the committee deliver on its mandate.
Omotade noted that the Adire Fabrics and Olumo rock remained the two notable major assets of Egba land which must be guided and protected jealously from being undervalued and destroyed.
According to her, “the committee is going to zoom into action immediately and we are going to ensure that we stopped Chinese Adire from entering Abeokuta markets.
”We won’t allow fake and Chinese Adire to be sold at Itoku market again . We will ensure the promotion of the locally produced Adire.
”The Alake has given us the mandate and we are going all out to stop this atrocity. We are determined to maintain the quality of the locally produced adire and protect it from undue competition and proliferation by imitators,” she said.
In their separate remarks, the Apena of Egba Land, High Chief Alani Bankole and the Aro of Egbaland who doubles as the chairman of the Committee, High Chief Oluyinka Kufile gave the assurance of providing elderly support to the committee, with a condemnation of the influx of the china made adire.
The duo who recounted their experience of influx of inferior materials as stakeholders in the manufacturing sector, assured of supporting all strategies to salvage the culture and heritage of Egba land from being relegated through the china made Adire.
They said such economic abnormality has been affecting the local market where majority of the chain producers gets their means of livelihoods.
Also speaking, the secretary of the Committee, Prince Adejoke Somoye said, “our cultural inheritance must not be allowed to walk into extinction. We shall do everything in our capacity to eradicate the adulterated Adire fabrics from our indigenous Adire market and in Egbaland as a whole.
Also,Hajia Modinat Adegbite, Giwa Obinrin of Egbaland, a member of the committee, noted that the adulteration of Adire fabric by the Chinese had been pushing the local producers trade to the brink.
”It is sad that most people can not differentiate between the fake Adire and the original one produced locally.
