Itire-Ikate LCDA kicks off Adire Festival to Boost Youth Empowerment

 Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos in collaboration with the National Union of Textile Garments Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) has kicked off the Itire-Ikate Adire festival to boost youth empowerment in the area.

The five-day festival for 150 grassroots youths in the council area was organised to boost capacity and job creation.

Dr Ahmed Apatira, the Executive Chairman of Itire-Ikate LCDA, said this during the opening ceremony of the festival on Friday.

Apatira described the festival as a life-transforming initiative aimed at repositioning the teeming youths for greatness and self-reliance.

He explained that the programme would address some of the multi-faceted challenges plaguing society due to youth restivennes ocassioned by lack of jobs.

“The development of any country depends on the productivity and creativity of its youths,” he said.

In his remarks, Mr Ibrahim Lawal, the NUTGTWN team leader to the council, said Adire making started in Itire-Ikate years back before it was relocated to Abeokuta.

“Adire making started in Itire-Ikate years back before it relocated to Abeokuta and after some years, it came back to Itire-Ikate as the best location for its work,” he said.

Lawal added that textile works production had improved greatly and was flourishing, adding that Itire-Ikate LCDA should create and expand its market.

Lawal applauded the executive chairman for granting them the opportunity to exhibit Adire making in the community and for sponsoring more than 150 youths to participate in the training programme.

Pst. Gbenga Oyebode, the Vice Chairman, Itire-Ikate LCDA, in his closing remarks, urged the participants to make good use of the opportunity by focusing on the grand finale, which would feature exhibitions, fashion show and award presentations.

Oyebode said that the week long programme was classified into various aspects which would include intensive training on Adire making, indigenous textile/fashion exhibition, African garments fashion show and the unveiling of Itire-Ikate Adire digital market plus.