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The director general of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, says he has found a soul mate in Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, on the strategic campaign to promote indigenous fabrics as national dress code, thus showcasing Nigeria’s iconic cultural heritage.
Otunba Runsewe who is also the president, Africa Region of the World Craft Council (WCC), noted that the pronouncement by the governor to adopt adire fabrics as official uniform for all the students in Ogun State remains the very critical and visible engagement to support cultural awareness and creativity, in order to sustain the emergence of the adire heritage economy and empower rural development.
An “unapologetic evangelist and prophetic campaigner” on Nigeria’s cultural advancement through the adoptation and showcasing of our diverse heritage lifestyles, Runsewe has at various times while at the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and now at NCAC, made the use of indigenous fabrics the fulcrum of national identify and promotional materials marketing agenda at all local and international cultural tourism events.
“Am the happiest Nigerian today and I must thank Ogun State governor for joining us to show case the adire heritage fabrics and adopting it as school uniform for students in Ogun State, including its use by government officials and in all activities of government businesses. This is the way to go as it will benefit the rural economy, empower women and youths and help in historical revival of heritage teachings and knowledge,” Runsewe said.
It must be noted that adire fabrics was rebranded and became the face of cultural marketing promotion at World Travel markets during Runsewe’s time at NTDC, adopted as golf fabrics, laptop bags, facemasks as part of the protocols for new pandemic, and on national colours for specially made suits for international outings for exhibitions and marketing Nigerian cultural tourism opportunities.
At NCAC, cultural marketing projects such as National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST), International Arts and CRAFTS Expo (INAC), and conferences, local heritage fabrics such as adire and other heritage fabrics across the nation, were usually on gross display as bounting, flags, neck and wrist wears, with diplomatic communities generously gifted and presented with various varieties and qualities of our local heritage fabrics.
Dapo Abiodun, Ogun State governor, had on Thursday during the flag off Adire Digital Market, held at June 12 Cultural Center, Kuto, Abeokuta, advocated for the promotion of Nigerian indigenous fabrics to the world, noting that adire fabrics can be adopted as national colour wears for athletes, and other sporting engagements, adding that the ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Culture and Information counterpart, should buy into the agenda to use adire fabrics to market Nigeria to the outside world.
The governor further explained that Ogun State is ready and willing to partner with all Federal Government agencies in sports and culture to promote the adire fabrics economy and help grow adire entrepreneurs, empower women and youths and expose the limitless cultural endowments in the state.
