Over 100 women have benefited from a free adire making training sponsored by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, and CEO and Director of Adire Textile Hub, Princess Ronke Ademiluyi.

The gesture was part of efforts to alleviate poverty in the community and celebrate the 2021 International Women’s Day.

Women across all ages and social groups participated in the exercise.

Among the participants were grandmothers, members of the Christian Association on Nigeria (CAN), students, house wives, retirees and young victims of trafficking and celebrities, amongst others.

They all came from different locations like :Ile-Ife, Modakeke , Garage Olode, Osogbo,Ibadan etc.

Ademiluyi shed light on the purpose of the initiative being pushed by the Ooni of Ife while also educating the participants on their importance in the society.

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Chairman and CEO of Hercules Industries Ltd, Basorun Adeniyi Adeoye, encouraged participants to take the workshop serious after which they can become self sufficient and useful to themselves and the society.

The participants were taken on the theoretical and practical aspects of Adire making and were subsequently divided into six groups.

Each group was headed by a trainer who put them through the the art of batiking, marbling, tie and dye, needle work Adire, Adire eleko, candle wax and screen printing, amongst others.

Beneficiaries of the exercise were also provided with training materials including: fabrics, dye, wax,stencils, needles and fabric ink etc.

The learning materials meant to facilitate learning from designing to final production were sponsored by Toby from SPAC Nation in the United Kingdom to support the programme.

Ademiluyi expressed appreciation to the Ooni for the privilege to impact the community.

She also commended the instructors and staff for their input in the success of the programme.

She said: “Adire Odua Textile hub is open to all students from across the nation for free training in the craftsmanship of Adire making. It is also open for vocational training and apprenticeship for young people who are interested in learning.”