Toyyibat Qasim
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has urged Nigerians to patronise locally manufactured goods, wear indigenous fabrics and consume Nigerian-made food, saying deliberate support for domestic products could accelerate industrialisation, create jobs and strengthen the country’s economy.
Soludo said Nigerians must develop a sense of national pride by deliberately choosing locally produced goods rather than relying heavily on imported products.
The governor made the call on Thursday while delivering the keynote address at the launch of a book titled Economic Diversification and Structural Transformation in Nigeria: Past, Present, Future, authored by Abdulmumin Jibrin.
The event, held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, was attended by President Bola Tinubu, who was the guest of honour. The President also wrote the foreword to the book.
Chairman of BUA Group, Abdulsamad Rabiu, presented the book, while former presidential spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, reviewed it.
Soludo, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, who appeared at the event in traditional Akwete fabric, argued that economic transformation could not be achieved through government policies alone without a corresponding change in the consumption habits and attitudes of citizens.
He maintained that Nigeria’s population of more than 200 million people represented an enormous market capable of transforming local industries if citizens consciously embraced products made within the country.
According to him, collective patronage of Nigerian goods could deliver economic benefits on a scale that government policies alone might struggle to achieve.
The governor, who disclosed that he had adopted Akwete fabric as his everyday clothing since 2020 following an introduction by his daughter, said Nigerians must begin to demonstrate confidence in their locally produced goods.
He also commended the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her reported commitment to wearing Akwete fabric at the commencement of President Tinubu’s second term on May 29, 2027.
Soludo, while explaining the symbolism of his outfit, said the eagle displayed on the fabric represented Nigeria’s coat of arms.
He further disclosed that his administration had introduced a policy at the Governor’s Lodge in Awka to prioritise Nigerian-made food and drinks, with exceptions only on rare occasions.
He said guests at the lodge were served locally produced wine rather than champagne as part of efforts to promote indigenous products.
The Anambra governor called for a nationwide campaign to encourage the use of Nigerian fabrics at official functions, arguing that such a policy could stimulate demand, expand the textile industry and attract international investors and manufacturers.
He expressed confidence that increased patronage of locally produced fabrics would encourage manufacturers from other countries to establish businesses and partnerships in Nigeria.
Beyond consumer choices, Soludo challenged Nigerians to examine their individual contributions to the country’s economic challenges rather than consistently shifting responsibility to the government.
He questioned what citizens were doing in their respective capacities to create employment, reduce poverty and promote economic diversification.
The governor stressed that national development required a collective commitment, insisting that patriotism should extend beyond speeches and public declarations to everyday economic decisions.
He summed up his message with the declaration: “I am Nigerian. I am proud. I wear made in Nigeria.”
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