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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State First Lady, Mrs. Priscilla Otti has stated the Dr Alex Otti-led administration’s efforts at positioning the Akwete textile on global limelight while preserving the traditional knowledge and skills behind it.
Delivering the keynote address, according to her office, at Made in Abia at UNGA titled: “From Craft to Commerce”, held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly and organised by the Black History & Lifestyle Awards (BHLA), Mrs. Otti described Akwete as the state’s cultural identity and craftsmanship, passed down through generations of women and called for its global recognition.
She recalled the contribution of Dada Nwakata (the woman who started Akwete weaving) to the history of Akwete weaving and stressed the need to protect the patterns, techniques and knowledge of the craft, as artificial intelligence and factories increasingly reproduce traditional designs.
“Technology should serve Akwete. It should never take from Akwete and erase Akwete from the story. We must modernise and expand Akwete around the hand, not instead of the hand.”
Mrs. Otti said the planned modern Akwete weaving and research centre would bridge the gap between generations and between tradition and technology, documenting patterns and training young weavers.
She was of the view that by linking Akwete with the manufacturing strength of Aba, clothing, shoes, bags, accessories and interiors could be made from the fabric for local and international markets.
She called for the standardization and certification of authentic Akwete clothes to ensure quality, traceability and consumer confidence, without losing the creativity and individuality of the women who weave it.
“Heritage may make someone notice Akwete once. Quality is what will make them come back,” she said.
The Abia First Lady stressed the need for the value created from Akwete to reach the women and communities who preserved it.
