Some crafts makers have called on Nigerians to use the art to convey messages of peace and unity and the need to co-exist peacefully in the country.
The crafts makers, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday, said the messages of peace could go a long way in stemming the high rate of indecurity being faced in Nigeria presently.
Mrs Adekunle Wumi, the Managing Director, Wumi African Textile Company, said that people could be united through the use of Nigerian culture.
Wumi, who makes and sells woven traditional cloth, popularly known as Aso-Oke, described as unpatriotic the call for disintegration of the country.
“Our culture can bring us back together in unity and peace.
“By the time I use your own costume and you use my own costume to preach peace and unity, there will be no enmity and rancour between two of us. This thing will bring us together,’’ she said.
According to her, Aso Oke contributes to the nation’s economy in many ways as it provides employment for youths who are willing to learn.
“It also gives civil servants who learnt it as another source of income. This will complement whatever they get from their monthly salaries.
“It is not only Yoruba that are using it. It is now used across the nation. There are some ethnic groups in Kaduna who are my customers that are using it.
“Tiv, Idoma in Benue have their own, even Igala and Ebira in Kogi have their own,’’ Wumi said.
She said that the price of the cloth was higher compared to previous years, blaming the increase on the high price of the materials used for weaving.
“The price is high now because the materials used for weaving Aso Oke is expensive than before. Like two years ago, the one we sold for N5,000 is now sold at N7,000,’’ she said.
NAN reports that Cloth weaving (Aso-Oke) started centuries ago among the Yoruba but predominantly among the Iseyin’s in Oyo State, Ede in Osun and Okene in Kogi and some areas in Ghana.
The fibres used for weaving are either locally sourced or brought from neighbouring states (northern parts of the country).
Another crafts maker from Kano, Mr Yahusa Abdullahi, urged the Federal Government to end the insecurity in the country, adding that the problems of insurgency and kidnapping was affecting handicraft business.
“Government should address the insecurity because when there is no peace, nobody will bring money to come and do business in the country.
“Before now, people came from outside countries like America, England and others but now they stop coming to Kurmi market in Kano State because of Boko Haram and kidnapping.
“People fear to come due to insecurity in the country. And before we had a lot of foreigners who used to come to the market but now they have stop coming.
“Kurmi market is a central place where you can get leather works, hand weaving crafts and woven blankets,’’ Abdullahi said.
According to him, these handicrafts promote culture and unity among Nigerians because people from different ethnic groups used to buy them. Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa even foreigners come to buy it.
“The prices of these products are low compared to two, three years ago. The prices have dropped because there is no patronage.
“What makes the price of a product to be higher is when there is high demand for that product. So, the price must come down because few people or nobody demands for it.
“Before, a big basket which we were selling at N5,000, now we sell it at N3,000 because there is no market,’’ he said. (NAN)
