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| Adire |
ADA
DIKE
One of the timeless fabrics produced within Nigeria but adorned
within and outside Nigerian, Adire, can help boost Nigeria’s economy if
adequate funds are investing in it.
Locally produced by mostly Yoruba women in the western part
of Nigeria, Adire, meaning ‘tie and dye’ has recently taken a new dimension as local
textile designers have upgraded their arts by producing different designs which
can be used to make both formal (Skirt suit/men’s tops) and traditional wears
of all beautiful styles.
In fact many have testified that Adire has a wide
appeal to customers in different parts of the world. This can be seen by the
number of Nigerians and foreigners who visit many markets and centres Adire is
sold in Lagos such as: Akerele and Aguda in Surulere, Balogun market and Sabo, Yaba,
among others. Most stalls in Lagos are filled with different Adire fabrics.
At a building opposite the National Library, Sabo,
Yaba, Lagos, an array of designs and styles are on display which attracts
passersby and their prices are reasonably fair for people to afford it.
No wonder many families, office workers and church
department mostly use Adire as their uniforms. For instncae, in March this
year, all staff of Daily Newswatch newspaper, adorned beautiful Adire cloths
during the celebration of one the newspaper’s one year anniversary.
Some designers’ works reflect their rich cultural
heritage and they also tell fantastic stories of their past histories through
their tie and dye works.
A
visit to some of the Adire and indigo-dyed-cloths producers showed that lack
of funding has hindered some of them to export Adire fabrics in large quantities.
One of the popular Adire designers, Chief Mrs. Nike
Okundaye, has continued to reposition Nigeria and Africa’s rich cultural
heritage in people’s lives through her work as an artist. She was nicknamed
‘Mama Adire’ because of her beautiful designs, moreover, being the first
notable Batik and Adire designer that has traversed many parts of the world,
promoting Adire and other culture artworks from the shores of Nigeria, she has
galleries in Lagos and Abuja and also an art institute in Oshogbo, Osun State
where assorted Adire designs are being sold with other creative artworks. “We have held so many exhibitions in my
gallery since we opened. Some featured my works and other Nigerian and foreign
artists,” Okundaye explained.
Adire, according to Okundaye, is the traditional Yoruba hand
painted cloth on which patterns are made by tying and stitching with raffia or
cotton thread, or by using chicken feathers to paint cassava paste on the cloth
which then acts as a resist dye, much like the wax method used on the batiks.
Describing the processes of making indigo, she said: “it is
made by burning cocoa pods to ashes, then filtering water through the ashes
into a pot in which indigo leaves are placed and left to ferment in the sun for
seven to ten days before using as a dye.”
Okundaye, who began
her sojourn into arts when she was six years old, hails from a family known for
producing art and craft. Adire has carried the Ogidi Ijumu, Kogi State
born artist to many countries of the world.
She however, revealed that funding has continued to be
her major challenge and appealed to the Federal government to come to the aid
of the Nigerian artists so that tourists will be attracted to visit and see Nigeria’s
rich heritage, arts, which includes Adire. “I want the Federal Government to invest
money in the ministry of Art and Culture so that we can have street art and
heritage sites like Adire site in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Indigo site in Osogbo,
Osun State and bigger dye pits in Kano,” she said.
One of the producers, Bolanle Ojo, provided an insight
into the processes Adire is prepared by saying that the first is to draw some
designs, tie them with pebbles or any other objects to form a sequential design,
depending on the design, pour a dye solution into a drum or bowl,
then soak the fabric in a dye solution (‘Aro’ in
Yoruba parlance) for some minutes.
“After some minutes, raise the fabric from the bowl,
leave it for some time before rinsing it with water. Then dry it,” she said.
She has been
producing Adire for over 20 years in Oshodi, Lagos, and of the opinion that
Adire business is a lucrative if the government to shows interest in investing
in it.
She hinted that
she has made tremendous profit from her craft since the time General Olusegun
Obasanjo (rtd) administration banned the importation of foreign materials, but
added that most Adire producers use materials such as Brocade, white linen
materials and so on which are
not produced in Nigeria thereby making it difficult for them to produce it at a
cheaper cost.
Most Adire dealers are mostly small and medium scale
business men and women due to inadequate finance. This has hindered many of the
Adire producers from increasing the quantity they produce.
A middle aged woman called Iya Kikelomo while sharing
her experience in Adire making said government should introduce measures that
will help to promote local technology of producing Adire and its creativity. She
implored the government to provide the enabling environment by unbanning the
materials for Adire which are mostly imported, create trainings centres and unban
some chemicals used in making Adire.
Daily Newswatch gathered that most of these products
are smuggled into the country and are sold at expensive rates, which affect the
cost of production of Adire and affect sales.
Quote
Adire is the traditional Yoruba hand painted cloth on
which patterns are made by tying and stitching with raffia or cotton thread, or
by using chicken feathers to paint cassava paste on the cloth which then acts
as a resist dye, much like the wax method used on the batiks
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