COMMISSIONER for Information, Culture and Tourism in Oyo State, Mr Toye Arulogun, on Thursday, said the state government would on September 16, 2017, kick start the construction of the Aso Ofi International Tourism Market, Iseyin.
According, to Arulogun, the market construction with its first phase to be completed six months afterwards will contain 500 weaving sheds/workshops, 500 exhibition shops, a warehouse, textile museum, a fire station, a clinic and a police station.
As disclosed by Arulogun at a press conference, the establishment of an Aso Ofi market is a major highlight of this year’s edition of Aso Ofi festival scheduled for September 15 and 16.
He emphasized that the Aso Ofi festival, to feature carnival and exhibition of the fabric was to promote its wider acceptance, calling on the federal government to consider Aso Ofi a heritage to be upheld.
He harped on the need for the Iseyin Weavers Association to collaborate with the state government and other private partners to see to the realisation of an Aso Ofi market of international standard.
“The Aso-Ofi festival was conceptualized to showcase and celebrate our locally made fabric that is now an internationally accepted brand. The celebration will also open our eyes wider to the potentials that abound which include trade and commercial activities, employment and job creation. Financial institutions have also been having serious and genuine engagements with the weavers and marketers while export opportunities are also being exploited,” Arulogun said.
In his own remarks, the Chairman of Aso Ofi festival local Planning Committee, Mr Adewuyi Kazeem assured that the locals in Iseyin were committed to ensuring that the Aso Ofi market becomes a reality.
He pointed to the dynamism of Aso ofi fabric in making all kinds of clothing.
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