Ekiti state government, through its Council for Arts and Culture in collaboration with Bureau of Labour , Employment and Productivity have promised to train young indigenes of the state in indigenous arts and crafts with a view of enhancing creativity, empowerment and reducing unemployment .
The DG Arts and Culture, Ambassador Wale Ojo Lanre and Mr Lanre Ogunjobi, DG Bureau of Employment, Labour and Productivity disclosed this during their recent visit to the Onisan of Isan Ekiti, Oba Adejuwon Gabriel Ayodele in his palace.
Isan , the country home of Governor Kayode Fayemi is one of the towns in the country with highest number of skillful potters.
According to Ojo Lanre, “part of the mantra of the council is to resuscitate and promote the dying indigenous cottage industries as well as training the younger ones in the arts to prevent them from going into extinction.
“We have been to Ogotun Ekiti where we have mat weavers , today we are in Isan to see the pottery centre and we will go to Ara, Ipoti and other Ekiti communities with creative and indigenous industries to reinforce their sustainability and ensure their being embraced by this generation for economic development and posterity”
Also, in his own remarks, Mr Lanre Ogunjobi, Director General, Bureau of Employment, Labour and Productivity said the Bureau would train and facilitate soft loan through micro credit agencies to encourage women and younger ones in the business.
“ Part of Dr Kayode Fayemi’s vision is to uplift the lot of women and young people and one of the ways he wants to achieve this is to put in place sustainable projects that will reduce unemployment, empowers and generate revenue”, he said.
Responding, the Onisan of Isan, Oba Adejuwon Gabriel Ayodele said “Isan women are endowed with skillful potters who need support for mass production and marketing of products”.
The monarch, then urged the government to rebuild and upgrade the Isan pottery center which was built in 1985 during Late Mariam Babangida’s Better Life Programme and which the wife of the State Governor ,Erelu Bisi Fayemi was working upon during the first tenure of Dr Kayode Fayemi .
