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Tradition meets modernity as Ijinle launches in grand style

By Tobi Awodipe
14 July 2018   |   4:04 am
In a lavish ceremony in Lagos, Osun State Office of Wealth Creation and Ministry of Commerce launched the Ijinle entrepreneurship project, designed to preserve vintage Yoruba fashion via a social enterprise model.

In a lavish ceremony in Lagos, Osun State Office of Wealth Creation and Ministry of Commerce launched the Ijinle entrepreneurship project, designed to preserve vintage Yoruba fashion via a social enterprise model.

Representing the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, Ademola Akintoyese, Special Adviser to the Governor on Enterprise and Wealth Creation, revealed that they were set to bring back vintage Yoruba pieces such as the traditional Agbada, Kembe, Agadashi, Danshiki amongst others, but with a modern twist.

Revealing that the programme would last for five months for the 15 trainees, he said the state government would work to facilitate business development services to transition the trainees to a viable production cluster at the end of the programme.

“My office and the Ministry of Commerce as well as the facilitators will use the manpower and expertise to generate income for the state.

The trainees will create authentic indigenous wears, contemporary attires which will be a fusion of the old and new, making it relatable to the younger generation and serving a bigger market.”

Adding that there would be a grand exhibition and a fashion show at the end of the programme in November this year, he said they would establish them in different locations across the state.

It would be recalled that as part of efforts to revive the textile industry, the state government partnered with Sam and Sara to establish the Omoluabi Garment factory, six years ago.

As fashion is never static and traditional pieces and modern versions make a come- back onto the scene, custodians of these skills are increasingly faced with a dearth of people to transfer these skills to.

Ijinle aims to close this gap by placing willing youths in this intensive internship programme.

According to Akintoyese, Ijinle’s main goals are heritage and entrepreneurship and the internship will be followed by the transition phase wherein the project managers will work with the project owners to realize the social enterprise end of the project.

“The trainees will specialise in producing vintage pieces made to master-craftsman finishing levels.

They will hone their skills in dasiki/kembe, dasiki/kembe/agbada, buba/agabada/agadasi, buba to’bo/agabda alabe/agadasi and buba/agbada/kembe.

Modern versions will be produced as dasiki lite, agbada lite and buba/sokoto premium,” he said.

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