The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has once again advocated a more active role for the federal government in revitalising Nigeria’s indigenous textile sector.
The monarch emphasised that locally produced fabrics must be redesigned to suit modern fashion trends if they are to gain wider acceptance, particularly among young people.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the 27th of January, 2026, by his press secretary, Alli Ibraheem, Oba Akanbi said “Nigeria could reduce dependence on imported clothing by encouraging large-scale local production tailored to youth preferences.”
He revealed that previous engagements with the Bank of Industry (BOI) on boosting indigenous textile manufacturing failed to yield meaningful results, leading him to call for stronger government intervention.
The statement quoted the monarch as proposing “that locally woven fabrics such as Aso Oke and Ofi be adapted into modern designs, including suits, jeans and jackets, to increase acceptance among young Nigerians.”
Explaining the rationale behind the proposal, Oba Akanbi noted the evolving fashion choices of the younger generation, stressing that, “You must think like the children and the youths if you want to influence them in any way.”
He said the goal was to make traditional fabrics suitable for everyday use rather than limiting them to special occasions, adding that young people could not be forced to adopt cultural attire unless it aligned with their lifestyle.
The monarch linked the initiative to economic growth, stating that “increased demand for locally made fabrics would expand job opportunities for weavers and reduce foreign exchange spent on clothing imports.”
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Oba Akanbi also expressed concern over what he described as the growing tendency to confuse Yoruba culture with religion, a situation he said had discouraged many youths from embracing traditional symbols.
“Our traditional clothes and accessories such as Ofi and beads are demonstration of rich culture and luxuries of wealth. Mislabelling cultural expressions as idolatry had affected their acceptance,” he said.
Questioning the limited presence of cultural attire in religious spaces, he remarked, “You only see a Yoruba child wearing Ofi and using beads at either wedding or naming ceremony. You can’t see Alfa or Pastor wearing Ofi to mosque or church. Why?”
He concluded by urging traditional rulers to take responsibility for educating the public, saying, “as traditional rulers, we have the role of clearly differentiating between the rich Yoruba culture and religion… Our culture is clean and has to be promoted for coming generations.”