Face masks have gone creative

WALE AKINSELURE and IMOLEAYO OYEDEYI report that efforts are ongoing by the Oyo State government to engage local tailors to produce a million pieces of face masks even as individuals are also producing the item on their own while others have turned it into a business to survive economic hardship.

DESPITE experts’ views about the efficacy of the face mask in mitigating the spread of coronavirus, many people have come to see the item as an integral part of the measures that must be put in place as part of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).

In fact, business and creativity has come to impact on the production of face masks that Ankara and other forms of fabrics are now being used to produce all manners of what could pass for face masks. Going around town, one could see that face masks are now the most common item in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In fact, producing face masks is now a big business as many people have suddenly become face mask producers and retailers by the roadside to make some money, especially due to the cash crunch being experienced all over, occasioned by coronavirus pandemic.

Kola Adeolu, who runs a fashion shop on the Sango/Eleyele road in Ibadan, had seen his business face a downturn since the outbreak of coronavirus. It has, however, dawned on him that the situation has rather opened his business to a new line of product. Instead of closing shop like others, Adeolu, for the past three weeks, has been busy producing nose covers of various designs and texture.

“I remember vividly that it was about three weeks ago that the table turned in our favour. I had wanted to close shop like others too, but decided to still be going there at least to get something to survive on. But surprisingly, owners of pharmacies and other petty traders started coming to me to make face masks for them. I guess it might be because the medical ones they were selling then had finished. That was how I started the production and since then it has moved very fast as they come every day to pack the masks in dozens,” an excited Adeolu told Sunday Tribune on Thursday.

Coincidentally, governors of the South-West states resolved to make wearing of face masks compulsory by the end of April and this seems to have increased Adeolu’s fortunes.

“Since the government made the face masks compulsory, the demand here has been higher than before. I have been sewing the masks using a combination of cotton and linen. People seem to prefer it because it is light and appropriate for breathing. I learnt that the Oyo State government has given the contract for one million face masks to the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Tailors (NUT) but I couldn’t get a share of the job order because I have not registered with the union. But the demands I get from individuals and store owners are enough for me,” he added.

Though state governments have been making efforts to provide face masks for residents of their state, many of them are of the opinion that no matter the number of the item made available, it will not go round. Therefore, individuals have been making efforts to get home made face masks for themselves and their families.

Adebayo Sokunle is an employee of Drugfield Pharmaceuticals in Lagos but he resides in Ibadan. He told Sunday Tribune that in the absence of the sterilized masks, he also has improvised for his household’s uses because he believes the ones being produced by the state government can’t effectively cater for the entire residents in the state.

“It is not possible for the government to produce face masks for the entire population of the state. So, individuals in their homes have been improvising and I have done same too. Besides, when you go out, you see different shades of face masks on the road and it is because local manufacturers have swung into action. But for safety purposes, it is better that one has two pieces and also be very careful when removing a used one from one’s face.

“The good thing about the local face masks is that they are not disposable. One can wash, dry and iron them after use. The washing as I have heard kills any virus or germs that might have infected the mask during the day. Unlike before, there is a short supply of the surgical face masks globally now. And that’s why even international TV stations like CNN are sensitizing the masses to various ways by which they can make their face masks themselves without necessarily being fashion designers,” he said.

Corroborating Sokunle, another Ibadan resident, Mr. Niniola Odunayo, an agricultural contractor, is of the opinion that the government wouldn’t have made the face mask compulsory if the citizens had adhered strictly to the stay-at-home directive.

“The government made the order because nobody wants to stay at home at all in the face of severe hunger; but I don’t believe the one million pieces the government is producing will be enough. But once the police start enforcing the directive, those who couldn’t get the government ones will be forced to buy or improvise like those in my area that have started using the pieces of their cloths as alternatives. Whether it is sterilized or not, they don’t even care as long as it covers their nose. But I have bought the locally-made ones for myself and my household,” he said.

Mr. Biodun Sowemimo, a cement dealer, said: “Though I’m just hearing from you now that the governments have made it compulsory, I don’t think the ones people said they are producing will go round. Most of the specimen of the face masks being produced by the state has the signage of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) but I don’t know how they will distribute them to people. But personally, I have been using the ones made with Ankara. I bought it two days ago as the face masks became the passport for entering banks which I often use.”

According to Ibrahim Shafau who is a face mask retailer, there are various types of face masks and they also vary in prices.

“We have the home-made face mask, the respirator face mask and the 3ply face mask. Each of them varies in prices. The home-made mask sometimes goes for N350, and it’s only sold in pieces. They don›t sell it in cartons or packs. The home-made mask can be sold in family packs of five and that one ranges from N2400 to N2500.

“The respirator face mask is sold for between N320,000 and N330,000 per carton; a pack contains 10 pieces, while a carton contains 10 packs. A pack is sold for N34,000.

“Another type of respirator mask is sold for N340,000 per carton. A pack contains 20 pieces, while a carton contains 10 packs.

“The 3ply face mask is sold for N440,000 per carton; it contains 40 packs and each pack contains 20 pieces. A pack of 3ply face mask can be sold for between N10,000 and N12,000. Prices of these face mask varies depending on how much the seller wants to sell it,” he added.

Temitope Alaka, who also sells in retail, said any interested person could get a pack of 3ply face mask containing 40 pieces from him for N6,000.

Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde’s efforts to produce locally made face masks has seen the engagement of 100 tailors in the state to produce one million face masks.

According to him, “We know that we are in a very tough economic environment right now. So, what Oyo State government wants to do is to produce an initial one million face masks to kick-start using of masks in public places a policy in Oyo State. What we have also done is to link up with the artisans; 100 of the tailors will be commissioned by Monday, 20th of April, to make 10,000 face masks each.

“We are collaborating with experts who have already designed these face masks to train the tailors on how to make them. They will also employ some more tailors to join them so that they can, on a daily basis be able to produce 2,000 face masks, so that within the week, they can hit the 10,000 target,” Makinde said.

The process was activated penultimate Monday when the select tailors, in batches, converged on the state Secretariat, Ibadan, for training on how to make face masks according to acceptable specifications. However, there were initial glitches between the tailors and the state government on the amount to be paid each tailor inclusive of the cost of getting the material and workmanship.

To resolve the logjam, a series of meetings were held between the Association of Tailors, Oyo State chapter and representatives of the state government. The state government had initially offered to pay N50 per mask out of which N10 was for workmanship while the remaining N40 was to cover for purchase of material and logistics like transportation.

The tailors had complained that the N10 cost for workmanship was inadequate and should be jacked up. There was, however, a truce later when the state government agreed to pay N60 such that payment for workmanship was increased to N20.

Following the middle point reached, president of the tailors association in Oyo State, Mr Ojewale Oloyede said the tailors had now acquired 35,000 yards of material and had begun distributing the material to tailors across local government areas of the state for them to begin sewing the masks.

Asked if the tailors would still meet the target date set by the governor, Ojewale said some masks would be ready on time while the tailors continue sewing. Ojewale, however, said the tailors should hit the one million production target before last weekend.

“By the grace of God, things have started going on smoothly. We have at least 35,000 yards of cotton material that will be used to produce these face masks. We have only one batch left to do the training that we will finish on Thursday [penultimate week], by God’s grace. Distribution of materials to local governments has started and soonest, all local governments will have got the materials for the tailors to begin sewing and production.

“By God’s grace, we will start delivering from [last] Monday and we have told government that we will be delivering almost every day. In a short time, we would have closed in on the one million face masks. The government has promised that the more we are doing it, the more they will be mobilising us,” Ojewale said.

—Additional story by ADEOLA OTEMADE.

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