Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of his excellency- Bola Ahmed Tinubu has unveiled the one Nigeria unity fabric.
The unveiling took place at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja on Monday.Notable attendees who graced this event include the following;
*Senator Oluremi Tinubu, First Lady of Nigeria and national chairman of Renewed Hope Initiative.
* Hajia Nana Shettima, wife of the vice president and national vice chairman of the Renewed Hope Initiative.
*Choima Uzodinma,
wife of the Governor of Imo State and Secretary of the Renewed Hope Initiative.
*Princess Zainab Abba Folawiyo, renowned fashion icon who had been in the industry for about 60 years.
*Mrs Banke Kuku, an international textile designer.
*Dr. Olufolake Abdularazak, wife of the kwara State Governor
*Dimeji Bankole, former Speaker of the House of Representatives
Former First Ladies, including Ajoke Muhammed; Fati Abubakar; and Patience Jonathan
*Mofiyinfoluwa Peace, winner of the one Nigeria unity Fabric competition amongst others.
Prior to this event, Senator Oluremi Tinubu had called for entries from youths between the ages of 15-25 years. These youths were to create a fabric design that will be a symbol for Nigeria’s unity.
This competition was launched in February and closed on the 30th of June. On the 2nd of July, 2024, Senator Oluremi Tinibu, displayed the catalogue of entries for the #ONENIGERIA/ Unity Fabric at the meeting to commence the selection of the winning entry out of 111 entries.
Her decision to have a one unity fabric was born out of her visit to Zimbabwe in December, 2023. She explains,
“I would like to briefly share the background to what led us to this moment. In December 2023, I visited Zimbabwe for the launch of #WeAreEqual Unifying Campaign of the Organisation of the African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) and on this visit, I came across the concept of a national fabric, which they have, and this fascinated me. I believe this concept is a unifying one, where we can infuse our cultural diversity and break down tribal barriers to identify as a people of one nation. So I decided that it would be a good idea to have a similar experience.”
At the unveiling, Senator Oluremi expressed her joy at the event. In her words,
“This fabric represents our nation’s unity and was inspired by my visit to Zimbabwe in 2023, where I saw a similar initiative.
I introduced the idea to the Renewed Hope Initiative, and it has become a reality through the creativity of young Nigerians”
She also congratulated Peace Mofiyinfoluwa for her design, stating that it embodies diverse cultures. She observed,
“Miss Bamidele Mofiyinfoluwa’s design embodies our diverse culture and will be proudly worn on Independence Day and other national celebrations . This project will support local textile industries, create jobs, and celebrate Nigeria’s strength as one united nation.
Miss Bamidele Mofiyinfoluwa, a 25 yr old graduate from the university of Ibadan won the 25 million naira prize.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu ,overwhelmed at the job done by the fashion judges expressed her satisfaction. She appreciated the Renewed Hope Initiative team for their efforts too. She opined that, the fabric will be produced in large quantity as it will stimulate local textile industries, create jobs and boost the economy.
According to the first lady, the realization of this project confirms the president idea of creativity and his support of local enterprises.
The wife of the vice president , excited about the outcome of the event believed that, the competition stirred the consciousness of thinking nationally before considering tribal or ethnic choices.
