By Sola Jacobs
Government of the State of Osun has made another landmark in human capital and economic development through the empowerment of youths in entrepreneurship project, tailored to preserve vintage Yoruba tailoring called, Ijinle.
The Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola represented by his Special Adviser on Enterprise and Wealth Creation, Mr Ademola Akintoyese at the launch of Ijinle, held in Lagos recently, said the programme was created to empower youths, create jobs and provide a platform for the younger generation to appreciate the beauty in the eroding Yoruba culture.
Narrating the genesis of Ijinle, the Governor said, it was born out of passion for sustainability and preservation of heritage and traditional clothing sewn in modern styles.
He noted that 15 youths were selected from the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) to get intensive training from legendary Kabiru Durojaye, a 56-year-old veteran tailor and custodian of authentic Yoruba wears and craftsmanship for over 30 years, supported by Ms. Muinat Atunnise of Atunnise Clothiers as project manager, and that the training will be for 5 months.
The Governor added that the trainees through the internship will fuse both old and contemporary attires for older and younger generations, and serve a bigger market, while the government would facilitate business development services of the trainees to a viable production cluster.
According to him, relevant agencies with the help of the facilitators will use manpower and enterprise to generate income for the state.
He further added that the government plans to establish the successfully selected trainees from various local government areas of the state, in different locations to continue to create beautiful works locally, nationally and internationally, while also generating income for the state and themselves.
In his goodwill message, the OYES Commandant, Col. Enibukun Oyewole (rtd) while charging the trainees to utilize the skills being taught judiciously, reiterated that there is power in skills and being an OYES cadet is a plus in life-based on the level of experience they have garnered.
He stated that 42,000 OYES cadets have participated in the scheme and he congratulated the selected cadets for the Ijinle project, urging them not to waste the knowledge passed to them, but build on it, pass it down, have good entrepreneurial skill, keep to time of delivery to customers and above all, not disappoint the Governor of the State for investing in them.
Oyewole commended the governor for the giant stride accomplished in the empowerment of youths in the state in line with his Six Points Integral Action Plan.
It would be recalled that in 2012, as part of the efforts to revamp the textile industry, the state government partnered Sam and Sara Company to establish Omoluabi Garment factory, to produce international standard clothing and uniform for state-owned public schools students.
