Producers and traders of the renowned adire fabric in Ogun State have decried the unregulated influx of Chinese-made imitations into local markets, warning of its devastating impact on the indigenous craft and economy.
The local traders claim the “fake adire” products, which are mass-produced in China and sold at cheaper rates, have flooded markets in the state, undermining the centuries-old traditional craft and threatening the livelihoods of local producers.
Michael Ogunfidodo, a leader at the Adire Market in Abeokuta, expressed deep concern over the government’s failure to curb the importation of adulterated adire fabrics despite numerous pleas from stakeholders. He noted that adire production involves multiple stages, each providing employment to hundreds of youths and women.
“If the government does not act, we risk losing this craft and the jobs it sustains,” Ogunfidodo said. “A nation that cannot protect its local industries and heritage is heading for trouble.”
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, have also advocated for a ban on imported adire fabrics, but local producers allege that little has been done to enforce such measures.
Adejoke Somoye, an adire promoter, disclosed that 80% of adire fabrics in Nigerian markets are Chinese-made, resulting in significant job losses for local producers. She accused wealthy individuals of collaborating with foreign manufacturers by selling traditional designs for mass production, complicating efforts to safeguard the local industry.
The traders are urging the government to take decisive steps to regulate textile imports, enforce policies protecting local industries, and promote the patronage of authentic Nigerian-made adire. Failure to act, they warn, could lead to economic instability in communities dependent on the trade.
