The Oba of Ogunwusi has stated that the government should promote initiatives like homemade goods known as Adire.
The Punch reported that he said this while he gave a speech on Saturday at the Moremi Ajasoro Queen Tricycle Riders graduation ceremony which was held concurrently with the South West Adire producers’ presentation of their attire and featured 150 female tricycle riders.
The women who underwent the three-week program were chosen from the four local government areas in Ifeland.
The royal father urged the government to pursue people who were hoarding dollars in addition to calling for Nigerians to curb their desire for imported items in order to preserve the naira.
“We are thrilled about the exhibition of our local fabrics,” he remarked. We urge the government to occasionally become engaged in projects of this nature. There won’t be pressure on the dollar if we buy our own products in this country.
“In all honesty, the country’s problems are caused by itself. Why do we require dollars? The naira is our official currency. Why put pressure on the dollar when we can buy items with naira?
“I beg the administration to enforce its laws strictly. They ought to pursue those who keep money, even at their neighborhood banks. Because that is not our country’s legal tender, it makes no sense.
“The government ought to support programs like this (Adire). These are produced by hand, 100 percent made with naira. Our leaders should do more. They should wear Nigeria, they should talk Nigeria, they should reason Nigeria.”
The monarch’s wife, Mrs. Ronke Ogunwusi, spoke about the Queen Riders Initiative and noted that the participants would receive assistance in purchasing a tricycle and paying it back over time.
“We have done our research, and we are aware that, after making their hire purchase payment, on a daily basis, they can still take home up to N7,000,” she continued.
The training was provided without charge thanks to TVS Simba Group and the Ooni of Ife’s Queen Moremi Ajasoro initiative, which is at the forefront of promoting everything related to women’s empowerment. “If we were to quantify it, the empowerment will run to millions of naira,” the statement continued.
