First lady unveils national unity fabric

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday unveiled the #OneNigeria/UnityFabric, a symbol of national unity, designed by 25 year-old Bamidele Mofiyinfoluwa, a graduate from the University of Ibadan.

Bamidele, who emerged victorious from a pool of 111 entries, at the event held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, received a grand prize of ₦25 million for her winning design.

According to a statement issued by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, the competition, organised by the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) chaired by the First Lady, aimed to engage Nigerian youths aged 15 to 25 in creating a design that would represent the country’s unity.

In her keynote address, Mrs Tinubu explained that the concept of a national fabric was inspired by her visit to Zimbabwe in December 2023, where she witnessed a similar initiative.

She expressed her joy at the unveiling and thanked the judges, including renowned fashion icon, Princess Zainab Folawiyo and international textile fashion designer, Miss Banke Kuku, for their rigorous selection process.

“Today, my heart is filled with joy as we have just witnessed the unveiling of the #OneNigeriaUnity Fabric, the announcement of the winner of the competition and the presentation of the prize ceremony. I say big congratulations to Miss Bamidele Mufiyinfoluwa, she did quite a fantastic job.

“I would like to briefly share the background to what led us to this moment. In December 2023, I visited Zimbabwe for the launch of #WeAreEqual Unifying Campaign of the Organization of the African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) and on this visit, I came across the concept of a national fabric, which they have, and this fascinated me. I believe this concept is a unifying one, where we can infuse our cultural diversity and break down tribal barriers to identify as a people of one nation. So, I decided that it would be a good idea to have a similar experience.

“Upon my arrival, at one of the meetings of the Governing Council of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), I mooted the idea and to my surprise, everyone seemed excited about it. Thereafter, the #OneNigeriaUnity Fabric Competition was announced through various media platforms in February 2024, calling on all our youth between the ages of 15 and 25 to create a design for a fabric that will be launched as the national unity fabric.

“Entries for this competition closed on June 30, 2024. On July 2, 2024, we invited two panelists; a renowned fashion icon, Princess Zainab Abba Folawiyo, who has been at the forefront of the fashion industry for 60 years, and Miss Banke Kuku, an international textile fashion designer. She’s the one who actually designed the gift scarves I give out because she’s a textile designer.

“Both of them, with members of the Governing Board, and some friends of RHI, had the task of selecting the best design from 111 entries. This selection process was rigorous, but today, we are happy to present the best design selected by our expert judges. Well done, and thank you,” she said.

Mrs Tinubu also disclosed that the new national fabric would be worn across the country to celebrate the Independence Day anniversary on October 1, 2024, and that it would be mass-produced by local manufacturers to stimulate the local textile industry, create jobs and boost the economy.

“I would like to extend my gratitude to all those who sent in their entries…”