Some Adire textile makers, on Monday called on the Federal Government to establish Indigo leaf plantations in the six Geo-political zones of the country.
Adire, a tie and dye textile is the indigo-dyed cloth made in the South West by Yoruba women, using a variety of resist-dyeing techniques.
Those who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos said that this would ensure easy accessibility of the leaf for mass production of the fabric by manufacturers.
They said that the indigo leaf, referred to locally as “ELU,’’ is available only in Oshogbo, Osun State at the Artist village, where hectares of land was used for its plantation.
Mr Gabriel Dada, the Chief Executive Officer of Dada Gallery, said that the indigo leaf is the most important ingredient in the production of Adire fabrics, Tie and Dye, which ought to be accessed easily.
He said that the neglect of the Adire industry has had negative effect on the industry.
Dada, however, appealed to government to set aside hectares of land across the six-geopolitical zone for the cultivation of the indigo leaf.
“I am so lucky because I do my business in Oshogbo where we have the plantation so we get the leaf, dry it and send it to other parts of the country.
“We want government to get involved in the development of the textile industry, most especially ensuring that we have this indigo plantation in each zones,’’ he said.
Similarly, Mr Ibrahim Lawal, a Textile Artist said that the difficulty in getting the indigo leaf had made them to embrace foreign product such as the “German Dye’’ `which is not as potent as the indigo.’
“ I go for the German dye whenever I cannot lay my hands on the indigo leaf because I do not want anything to put my production on hold.
“The German dye is always available in the market; why can we not make the indigo leaf available like the German dye and make foreigners demand for it,’’ he said.
Also, Mr Godfrey Airhumwude, the Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Arts and Crafts Gallery, urged the government to focus on textile industry in line with its economic diversification agenda.
Airhumwude said that the textile industry must be revived; “it was one of the money spinner sectors for the nation when it was properly groomed and Nigeria exported to other countries.’’
“Government need to revive Nigeria’s moribund textile industry, ensure we have access to the materials used in producing fabrics like the indigo leaf,’’ he said.