A multi-media Fashion Exhibition, aimed at exploring how the nation’s
socio-cultural ways have influenced the forging of a national identity
from the diverse cultures that make up Nigeria, has opened in Lagos as
part of the activities celebrating Nigeria’s Diamond Jubilee..
Declaring open the Exhibition, tagged ‘Cycles of Fashion’, at Terra
Kulture, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
said it differs from the typical exhibitions because of the deployment
of 3D mapping technology that animates the costumes on the mannequins.
He said the incredibly-immersive and colourful exhibition, which is
being jointly organized by the Ministry and Terra Kulture, ”will take
us on a historic, educative and informative journey of the people and
tribes that make up Nigeria and their unique dress styles”.
Mohammed, who described fashion as a valuable part of the
nation’s culture, whose importance in the nation’s history cannot be
ignored, said the ‘Cycles of Fashion’ will also capture the rich
contribution of fashion and
dress code to the Nigerian national identity all through the years.
He said the Fashion Industry has been underrated, especially in its
capacity and ability to help advance the government’s economic
diversification policy, as well as wealth and job creation – a
situation which this administration aims to reverse.
“While we continue to focus on Music and Film, we tend to ignore or
underrate the fashion industry. I guess this is because of the lack of
adequate information about the industry,” the Minister said,
disclosing that the annual revenue of the country’s Fashion Industry
is around N2 trillion while the industry comprises about 1,000
businesses that employs over 30,000 practitioners.
”Compare this with the Film Industry, with an annual revenue of N140
billion or the Music Industry, with an
annual revenue of N300 billion, and you will understand how huge
the Fashion Industry is,” he said.
In her remarks, the Founder of Terra Kulture, Mrs. Bolanle
Austen-Peters, said the historic fashion exhibition is a six-part
series to showcase Nigeria’s fashion, festivals and religions, among
others, from pre-independence to present day Nigeria.
Among the dignitaries who witnessed the exhibition’s opening ceremony
were the Directors-General of the National Commission for Museums and
Monuments as well as the National Gallery of Art, Prof. Abba Isa
Tijjani and Mr. Ebeten Ivara respectively, the Director, National
Archives, Mr. Danjuma Fer, and the Managing Director of Ecobank, Mr. Patrick Akinwuntan.
