Participants at this year’s World Handicrafts Day stressed the need for parents to encourage their children and wards to learn one or more of Nigeria’s indigenous crafts.https://scudnewsng.com
They say that not everybody will be a medical doctor or lawyer, emphasising that the crafts sector has great potential to boost tourism as well as generate employment.
The stakeholders also underscored cultural and economic importance of the nation’s crafts.
The World Crafts Council (WCC) founded in 1964, declared June 10 as the World Handicrafts Day. The WCC is also affiliated to UNESCO.
One of its mandates is to organise seminars and workshops as well as promote economic development through income generating crafts related activities.
Leading the pack, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), appealed to parents to encourage and support their children in discovering their talents in the creative industry.
He said that though some children might not attain educational career as lawyers and medical doctors, there were some that their brains have the capacity for creativity which required the support of parents.
“Handicraft is a platform to showcase our best to the world. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, can you image, the chairs these great students are sitting down on were made from used tyres.
“Look at it, the centre tables is bye product from tyres from sport cars, but we turned it into the centre table. In other words, nothing is a waste in this sector.
“This is the only sector that nobody is a failure even if you have not performed well in school, you are useful with us.
“The time has come to tell ourselves the truth. All of us cannot be lawyers and medical doctors, but there are some people that capacity of their brains is for creativity. I want to beg parents.”
The director-general recalled that some years ago, children could not tell their parents that they wanted to go into football or music, but now they encouraged them due to the sector’s viability.
He urged Nigerians to buy made in Nigeria products such as arts and crafts products in order to create job opportunities for youths and discourage them from engaging in crimes.
“Today, the National Council for Arts and Culture is the main government agency saddled with the responsibility to preserve and promote the living arts and culture of Nigerians, crafts persons inclusive.
“The council organised the annual National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) and the International Arts and Crafts Expo.
“These two fora, provide artists and crafts persons conducive and comfortable environment for our crafts persons to showcase and exhibit their various crafts and wares to international audiences.
“This also exposes the artisans to lucrative business opportunities and partnerships.”
Mrs Adekunle Wumi, the Managing Director, Wumi African Textile Company, said that people could be united through Nigerian culture.
Wumi, who makes and sells woven traditional cloth, popularly known as Aso-Oke, stressed the importance of culture in promoting 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 will bring us together.”
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 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 the price of the cloth was higher compared to previous years, blaming the increase on the high cost of the materials used for weaving.
“The price is high now because of the high cost of materials used for weaving Aso Oke. Two years ago, the one we sold for N5, 000 is now sold at N7, 000.”
Cloth weaving (Aso-Oke) started centuries ago among the Yoruba, but predominantly among the Iseyin 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 northern parts of the country.
Another crafts maker from Kano State, Mr Yahusa Abdullahi, said the current insecurity in the country, was affecting the handicrafts 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 places like USA, England and other countries to Kurmi market in Kano State. But now they have stopped coming because of Boko Haram and kidnapping.
“Kurmi market is a central place where you can get leather works, crafts, woven blankets, among others.”
According to him, these handicrafts promote culture and unity among Nigerians, as people come from different parts of the country, even outside the country to buy them.
“The prices of these products are low compared to two, three years ago. The prices dropped because of low patronage.
“Before, a big basket which we sell at N5, 000, now sells for N3, 000, because of low patronage.”
Dr Cornel Agim, a curator and former Director, National Gallery of Arts, stressed the need to re-tool craft products to meet international standard.
Agim said that if the arts and crafts products could be re-tooled, the sector would generate huge foreign exchange.
“Export preparation phase is estimation of production capacities. This is the maximum number of products you are able to produce in a given time, using your production infrastructure and maintaining the quality of the products.
“Packing and packaging determine how products can be efficiently packed. Packaging should protect pieces adequately during shipment.
“There is the need to develop a system of packing units and package sizes.
“There is also the need to choose packing dimensions that will fit most efficiently into a shipping container as well as costing and pricing of the products.”
Undoubtedly, if properly harnessed, the crafts sector has the potential to contribute greatly to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.
