Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada
Ekiti state council for Arts and Culture in collaboration with Bureau of Labour , Employment and Productivity have promised to train young indigenes of the state in indigenous art and craft with a view of enhancing creativity, empowerment and reducing unemployment .
Ambassador Wale Ojo Lanre, DG Arts and Culture and Mr Lanre Ogunjobi, DG Bureau of Employment, Labour and Productivity disclosed this during their visit to the Onisan of Isan Ekiti, Oba Adejuwon Gabriel Ayodele in his palace on Friday.
Isan , the home of the Executive. Governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi is one of the towns in the country with highest number of skillful potters.
Ojo Lanre said, part of the mantra of the council is to resuscitate and promote the dying indigenous cottage industries as well as training the younger ones in the arts to prevent them from going into extinction.
“ We have been to Ogotun Ekiti where we have mat weavers , today we are in Isan to see the pottery centre and we will go to Ara, Ipoti and other Ekiti communities with creative and indigenous industries to reinforce their sustainability and ensure their being embraced by this generation for economic development and posterity”
Mr Lanre Ogunjobi, Director General, Bureau of Employment, Labour and Productivity said the Bureau would train and facilitate soft loan through micro credit agencies to encourage women and younger ones in the business.
According to him, “ Part of Dr Kayode Fayemi’s vision is to uplift the lot of women and young people and one of the ways he wants to achieve this is to put in place sustainable projects that will reduce employment, empowers and generate revenue.’
Onisan of Isan Oba Adejuwon Gabriel Ayodele while responding said ‘ Isan women is endowed with skillful potters who need support for mass production and marketing of products”
The monarch urged the government to rebuild and upgrade the Isan pottery center which was built in 1985 during Late Mariam Babangida’s better life Programme and which the wife of the State Governor ,Erelu Bisi Fayemi was working upon during the first tenure of Dr Kayode Fayemi .
