Adire Eleko: A must for all Civil Servants in Osun, beginning from 27th August.

 Sunday Okunade.

The  State Government of Osun  has reemphasized its resolve that, effective from the 27th of August, 2021, all workers in the state  must wear a locally made fabric known as "Adire Eleko" to office. The directive is aimed at  promoting the  culture of Yoruba in and outside the civil service.

Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in the state, Dr. Obawale Adebisi disclosed this while fielding questions from newsmen in his Office.

     

While reemphasising the importance of culture  in the way an average Yoruba man acts, speaks and dresses, Dr Adebisi stressed that, effective from the 27th of August which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the creation of the State of Osun, it is compulsory for all Civil Servants to wear the locally made Adire fabric material to work on Thursdays.

    

The Commissoner who flayed the seeming dying culture of wearing locally made fabrics at the expense of foreign made ones, called on civil servants to key into this new policy directive of the Oyetola led administration which he noted is doing all it could to resuscitate the Yoruba Culture of wearing Adire fabrics gradually going into extinction.

    

According to Dr. Adebisi, one of the advantages of the new policy on wearing of the Adire fabric on every Thursday of the week is the freedom given to them to go and purchase and sew it anywhere.

    

He similarly disclosed that the State Government is working on the possibility of getting a designated selling outlets too  for selling the fabric at subsidized rate for the benefits of workers in particular and the larger residents of the state.

     

Reacting to the directive which they described as a good omen to revive the culture of the Yoruba race especially in the wearing of Adire fabrics  gradually going into comatose,  a cross section of civil servants who spoke on condition of anonymity expressed readiness for the 27th of August when the policy would become effective.

 

As the corporate image of government anywhere throughout the state of Osun,they noted that by starting the directive with them, other citizens will key into it by seeing it as a way of bringing back our hitherto highly cherished values and beauty of wearing locally made fabrics of Adire extraction.

    

While equally noting that it will boost the local economy through mass production of the Adire in the state of Osun and beyond, the workers , however, enjoined  the State Government  to look at the possibility of  providing the fabrics  free of charge for them in the interim.

 

It would be recalled that Osun State Governor,  Adegboyega Oyetola during the recently organised  Osun International Fashion Week held in Osogbo, did say that his administration will not leave anything to chance at bringing back the good old tradition of wearing Adire fabrics.