.. inaugurates Production Site in Ekiti Southeast LCDA, Hails Council Boss
Morolake Oluwatosin
The Adire Ekiti entrepreneurship and enterprise revolution envisioned and championed by the First Lady of Ekiti State, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, has spread to the hinterland with the official takeoff of a production site in Ilasa Ekiti on Wednesday.
Dr. Oyebanji performed the inauguration of Adire Ekiti Hub Production Site in Ekiti Southeast Local Council Development Area which will serve as the flagship centre for the production of the fabrics and training of beneficiaries in Ekiti South Senatorial District.
The First Lady commended the Chairman of Ekiti Southeast LCDA, Hon. Anthonia Alaba Omonusi for replicating the Adire Ekiti Hub initiative in her council area and galvanizing the youths and women into the enterprise and taking many unemployed off the streets.
Apparently impressed with what Hon. Omonusi has done in her LCDA, Dr. Oyebanji who was represented by the Director General/Technical Adviser on Entrepreneurship Development, Dr. Abimbola Oni, described the council boss as a pride to womanhood and a good example among her counterparts in the councils.
Dr. Oyebanji lauded Hon. Omonusi for keeping the Adire vision alive noting that the production site just inaugurated will be a hub that will attract trainees from Ekiti South Senatorial District and take the enterprise and empowerment further to the grassroots.
She said: “I am very happy with what the LCDA Chairman has done. I am happy that she has fulfilled her promise that graduate trainees from her LCDA will continue to train others and this is one of the core objectives of this production site.
“This shows that the work we started in Adire Ekiti Hub in Ado Ekiti has spread here and it has brought with it enterprise, empowerment and opportunity for business for our youths and women in this LCDA and other communities in this axis.
“I am happy that you came to the Adire Ekiti Hub in Ado Ekiti where you declared your readiness to replicate this project in your LCDA. I am impressed with what I have seen here with the production going on here. What you have established here will serve as a model to other council areas.”
Speaking at the event, Ekiti Southeast LCDA Chairman, Hon. Omonusi, paid tributes to Ekiti First Lady for birthing the Adire Ekiti vision and for encouraging her to replicate the project in her council area for the empowerment of the locals.
Hon. Omonusi called on the residents of the council area to always come to the Ekiti Southeast LCDA production centre to make bookings for ceremonies like burials, birthdays, harvests, traditional festivals, community days, among others to encourage workers at the centre.
The council boss said the money spent for the purchase of dye and other materials were fully paid for by her to kickstart the production process and encourage the trainers and trainees at the centre.
Hon. Omonusi explained that the centre will assist in taking many women and youths out of poverty and put food on their tables. She added that commitment to the Adire fabrics production is capable of turning the practitioners into millionaires.
She said: “I want you to know that the present administrations in this Local Council and the State have set targets to make life easy for the people hence the reason behind this project.
“Therefore, I want to implore all the beneficiaries to make good use of this great privilege to improve their lives and that of their families as we expect more under this administration.”
The Alasa of Ilasa Ekiti, Oba Olusesan Ajayi Omolagba, hailed Governor Biodun Oyebanji and the First Lady for pursuing the vision of Shared Prosperity for the benefit of all the people of the State citing the Adire Ekiti as an example.
The traditional ruler said the Governor has performed well by all standards noting that Ekiti people want the good work to continue for the benefit of all. He further hailed the Governor for taking good care of traditional rulers and giving them respect.
Oba Omolagba urged the beneficiaries of Adire Ekiti training in the LCDA to make use of the opportunity for their empowerment noting that they have an opportunity to be great in the vocation.
The LCDA boss led the guests to the exhibition centre to view the Adire works showcased by the beneficiaries and ready for sale to prospective customers.