NANFeatures/Vol.11/No.102/2017 (July 10)
Lifestyles and fashion: Showcasing Nigerian fabrics to the world
A News Analysis by Mike Mboye, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
“It is time for Africa to give to the rest of the world and we do that through style and fashion.
“The good thing is that African fabrics are generally accepted. They are used in making shoes, fashion furniture, bags and house interiors.
“We use Ankara and Adire to meet the needs of our clients and I must tell you that business has been good with these materials,’’ Mr Ayotunde Solarin, a Nigerian entrepreneur based in South Africa said recently in Pretoria.
Enumerating the socio-economic importance of Nigerian fabrics, he urged Nigerian entrepreneurs to key into the potential of African fabrics, especially Ankara and Adire, to do business and make money.
He observed further that some Nigerian fabrics, including Ankara and Adire were in high demand, especially in the South Africa, among other nations.
Solarin, 44, Chief Executive Officer of Soldee Group, said the group star product “is Nigerian fabrics because other nationalities resident in other countries are always in love with those materials.’’
He said although some South African see a Nigerian resident in their country as bad, they could not resist their expertise, especially in fabric making.
Sharing this viewpoint, a Nigerian resident in Pretoria said “some of them (South Africans) believe that Nigerians are responsible for criminal activities in their communities.
“This perception has brought negative media reports about Nigerians in South Africa but the contributions of some Nigerians to the economy of South Africa and Africa nations, which are not so much promoted, have proved them wrong,’’ pleading anonymity.
To showcase Nigerian fabrics to a wider society, Solarin said his company was registered in 2005 and it employed seven South Africans, two Ghanaians, three Congolese, one Zambian, two Zimbabweans and Nigerians in its several retail stores.
“Ankara and Adire materials that come from Nigeria are of high quality. We can use them for different designs for male, female and children wears; and we use Dida Clotheirs, a firm in our group, for that.
“Our clients love these materials because we use them to make outfits that they like; I urge genuine entrepreneurs to make use of this opportunity to do business with Nigerian fabrics.
“We need to project Africa in a good way through style and fashions because Africa is endowed with beautiful things.
“I am a proud Nigerian contributing to the development of the South African economy. It will be wrong to say that Nigerians are bad. It is not true, most Nigerians are doing well, especially, in providing jobs for others,’’ he said.
According to him, his group has imparted knowledge and trained some South Africans in their line of business.
Similarly, Mrs Doris Solarin, a Director in Soldee Group, said the group has contributed to boosting the image of Nigeria in positive way, apart from providing jobs for South Africans and other national.
“The group has created employment for some Africans resident in South Africa. In fact, it has trained a lot of Africans who are on their own doing well in chosen endeavours,’’ she said.
According to her, the group also sets up a football club for young Africans aspiring to make a career in football.
“We have a full team and encourage Africans with skills to join the team,’’ she said.
Appraising its role in promoting Nigerian culture and lifestyle, Mr Adetola Olubajo, Secretary General, Nigeria Union in South Africa, said the union was proud of the group.
“These are the kind of Nigerians that we should put forward for others to emulate. The group focus is Africa as a whole; Soldee Group has done Nigeria and Africa proud in its operation,’’ he said.
In the same vein, Mrs Mary Mufari, a Zimbabwean and a senior sales executive in the group, said she had been a staff of the group for five years.
“I am happy with the group because it has given Africans in South Africa a sense of belonging; we are doing our best to help the group to grow,’’ she said.
Also, Mrs Nelly Galoisy from Congo Brazzaville and a warehouse supervisor said the group had touched the lives of many Africans.
“I am happy with my work. Soldee is a success story and Africans are proud to be associated with it,’’ she said.
Observers, therefore, note that the success story of Soldee Group and its contributions to promoting Nigerian culture and lifestyle elsewhere will convince other Nigerians that they are hardworking and can be successful anywhere across the world.(NANFeatures)
**If used, please credit the writer as well as News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)