First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has said she will wear an Akwete wrapper if President Bola Tinubu wins a second term in office.
She made the remark on Tuesday during her first visit to the Akwete Weaving Cooperative Village in Abia State. During the visit, she also announced a ₦2bn donation to help revive the local weaving industry.
“If God brings my husband in a second time, I’ll be wearing a buba and wrapper made from Akwete. I am going to be wearing that because it is very soft breathable cotton.
“I saw young people in their family doing exact thing. So it is a craft transferred from generation,” she said.
The First Lady praised the women in the cooperative for keeping the weaving tradition alive through generations. She also encouraged Nigerians to wear Igbo traditional clothing made from Akwete fabric to support local weavers.
She said she chose not to deliver a prepared speech because she wanted to spend time with the women instead of following a formal programme.
According to her, the visit was meant to be a personal meeting and not an official event.
Oluremi Tinubu also thanked Abia State Governor Alex Otti, describing him as a good man.
She recalled contacting his wife in the past to ask about the Akwete weaving tradition and thanked God that the visit finally happened after the delay.
“I just wanted to meet with these women, which I will tell the story. But we went on, and my husband said something. He said I was getting frustrated. I said, Otti is a good man.
“He’s a very good man. I see that, and I want to thank you. And I remember when I was calling you, looking for your wife, concerning Akwete. So, but I thank God we are here. All those history. We are here,” she said.
She also urged Nigerians to support locally made fabrics to help protect indigenous craftsmanship and improve the livelihoods of rural weavers.
