ABIA STATE — First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has declared that she will wear an Akwete wrapper if her husband, President Bola Tinubu, secures a second term in office.
The First Lady made the statement during her maiden visit to the Akwete Weaving Cooperative Village in Abia State on Tuesday, where she also announced a ₦2 billion donation for the revitalisation of the local weaving industry.
“If God brings my husband in a second time, I’ll be wearing a buba and wrapper made from Akwete. I am going to be wearing that because it is very soft breathable cotton,” she said.
Tinubu commended the women of the cooperative for their passion and resilience in preserving the craft across generations and urged Nigerians to embrace Igbo traditional attire made from the fabric as a way of supporting local weavers.
She explained that she had approached the visit informally, opting to spend time with the women rather than follow a scripted programme. She came without a prepared speech because the trip was meant as a personal engagement rather than a formal event.
The First Lady also expressed gratitude to the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, describing him as “a good man.” She recalled reaching out to his wife in the past specifically to enquire about the weaving tradition and expressed joy that the visit had finally materialised despite delays.
“I just wanted to meet with these women, which I will tell the story. But we went on, and my husband said something. He said I was getting frustrated. I said, Otti is a good man. He’s a very good man. I see that, and I want to thank you,” she said.
Tinubu urged Nigerians to patronise locally made textiles as a way of preserving indigenous craftsmanship and boosting the livelihoods of rural weavers.