The Commissioner for Culture And Tourism in Osun State, Dr. Obawale Adebisi, has said that the state government has concluded plans to collaborate with youths in different parts of the world for the production and marketing of ‘Adire’ in Osun State, AMILOADED reports.
The commissioner made the disclosure while speaking at the launching of the Osun International Fashion Week (OSIFAW) in Osogbo, the state capital on Saturday.
Adebisi, who disclosed that the Osun State Government has declared emergency in Culture and Tourism by launch of master plan, said the government is set to deploy new marketing technology to give relevant training to get the best quality products and impact necessary ethical training on producers and marketers of Adire to remain relevant at all times in the market.
He said, “In November last year, the state government declared emergency in Culture and Tourism by launch of Master plan.
“As a short term focus, we identified 30 critical areas that needs urgent attention and must be addressed to actualize culture and tourism of our government dream. As the first government to consider tourism as potential for economic diversification and sustainability, in keeping faith with our commitment to resuscitate dying culture, and also in a pursuit of our resolve to allow the state to take her rightful positioning the history of Adire in the world, today’s event is organized.
“One key strategy of our tourism infrastructure development model isembracing Public Private Partnerships. Our choice of this model is to ensure sustainability and promote efficiency. Today’s effect is a proof of effectiveness of this model as this event is in collaboration with knowledgeable youths, though born in Nigeria, but living in different parts of the world, and having chosen fashion as a career, working together as Musty Great Developments & Alexandria Jones Couture, USA.”
The commissioner added, “Our tourism for sustainable economy, launched last year, is also premised on youth engagement as job provision is a critical element of well-intentioned policy in today’s world. Today’s event s in support of our youths and aim at opening their eyes to age long untapped potentials in the area of fashion.
“The quality of Models, creativity of designers and knowledge impacts are three success indicators of any fashion show. Models and designers for this event have been carefully selected with adequate local contents.
“The three-day event has training contents with about 120 trainees to be given certificate of attendance at the end of this programme.
“In our Adire Osun repositioning strategy, we have identified three levels to be addressed, production, Promotion and marketing. Today’s event is directed towards promotion and marketing. The commitment of our partners includes building a marketing network where designer’s outside Nigeria will purchase Adire directly from producers in our state.
“In readiness for this, we have organized our producers’ as Association, formed them into cooperative society and registered them with ministry of commerce. To achieve full benefit of this opportunity, we shall deploy new marketing technology, give relevant training to get the best quality products and impact necessary ethical training on our producers and marketers to remain relevant at all times in the market.
“We have agreed to make this event an annual one. This is to put the project on good footing, ensure full local contents and stabilize our strategy. At planning stage, designers and other participants were invited from 15 countries. Today, we have participants from 5 countries in attendance. Others were denied Visa.
“This is another manifestation of evil effect of COVID-19 on tourism, aside low tourism investment, restrictions on financing and drop in rate of travelling, which has curtailed tourism activities and rate of progress in accomplishing tourism tasks,” Adebisi stated.
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