Executive Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State, Wasiu Adesina,  on Wednesday inaugurated a seven-month free skill acquisition training of 100 female youths in cloth design.

The youth were selected across the seven wards in the community without any political affiliation.

Mr Adesina explained that the training was necessary to make them self-reliant, increase their income streams, give them opportunities to survive anywhere and stop them from looking for white collar job.

Mr Adesina expressed the council’s determination to equip indigenous people with easily learnable skills, enabling each family to fend and be self-reliant with a promise to provide equipment to those passionate and serious.

“We are trying to empower our youths to be self-reliant, that is why this type of training is necessary for them to be skilled. Once they have their skills, they can survive anywhere and give them chances to know business minded people. My administration will settle the most serious people with equipment and shops when necessary to start their own business,” he said.

Earlier, Managing Director, Creative Fashion Academy, Adetoun Awofeso, said Nigeria had important aspects of creative use and labour as the two ingredients needed for a successful fashion industry.

Ms Awofeso, who is a global trainer in garment making, said that, “If people are trained in a professional way with technical partners, Nigeria will be taken out of the wood and stop importation in the next five years. We are now at a time where we need to reduce expenses on importation and move from consumption to production. As said by the President, there is no better time than now. The beautiful thing is that Nigeria has all the ingredients needed to establish a fashion industry.’’

Also, Creative Director, Fashion Hub, Yetrunde Akande, said the idea was to empower and reduce unemployment among female youths.

Mrs Akande said that the beneficiaries would be placed on compulsory internship to access their level of skills, not a technical school where they learn how to cut and sew only.

She stated, “At the training, we are going to train them to be able to start their own fashion business and employ other people. To know they have probably moved away from the local to the technical way of garment construction and pattern crafting.’’

Also speaking, the Baale of Ojogbe, Kayode Olomo, urged the beneficiary to be very serious laying emphasis on Folorunsho Alakija, an indigent of Ikorodu, who rose to fame through fashion designing.

One of the beneficiaries, Sofiat Folayomi, expressed gratitude to the chairman, adding that the training would help her to fulfil her dream of becoming a professional designer.

Similarly, another beneficiary, Anuoluwa Darasimi, advised colleagues to be serious and promised to put in their best as a lifetime opportunity given to them by the council chairman.

The All Progressives Congress stalwarts, market leader; council management team and traditional leaders were present at the occasion.

(NAN)