Nigerian artisans preserve handwoven fabric amid rising global demand

In Iseyin, a sleepy town in southwestern Nigeria, shaded spaces under trees, makeshift sheds, and narrow alleys serve as production hubs for aso-oke, a handwoven fabric indigenous to the Yoruba people.

Demand for this fabric has surged both domestically and internationally, fuelled by the Nigerian diaspora and the growing global recognition of the country’s fashion and music culture. Despite this popularity, artisans steadfastly resist mechanisation, maintaining that handweaving is essential to the fabric’s unique character.

Located roughly 200km (108 miles) from Lagos, Nigeria’s cultural and fashion epicentre, Iseyin stands as the acknowledged home of aso-oke. Under the intense heat of a muggy morning, yards of yarn and freshly woven fabrics stretch across dusty spaces surrounded by weathered sheds where weavers diligently work behind wooden looms. The craft has become an economic lifeline, attracting young people, including university graduates, who flock to Iseyin to learn the tradition.

Bare-chested with tattooed biceps glistening, Waliu Fransisco works at his wooden loom, the rhythmic click-clack filling the air as he weaves a cream-and-blue fabric. Ten years ago, Fransisco abandoned his career as a Lagos nightclub singer to master aso-oke weaving. Though he initially found the physical demands challenging, he has no regrets about his decision.

“Now I earn a decent living from weaving aso-oke and I’m satisfied,” the 34-year-old told AFP.

Aso-oke, which roughly translates to “the cloth from up country”, is a thick, often vibrantly multicoloured fabric that has become a staple in Nigeria, Africa’s fashion capital. It appears in traditional ceremonial attire, statement fashion pieces, and casual wear. Strips are sewn onto other fabrics, adding distinctive color and elegance, as seen when Meghan Markle wore an aso-oke wrapper and shoulder shawl during her visit to Nigeria with Britain’s Prince Harry two years ago.

In Iseyin, the steady rhythm of ancient wooden looms provides the soundtrack to a tradition passed through generations. Aso-oke remains both a cultural emblem and a marker of identity. Historically, production involved preparing threads from cotton or silk—cleaning, spinning, and dyeing fibers using traditional methods before setting them on looms, with limited colour options.

Today’s weavers increasingly use loom-ready threads in diverse colours “mostly imported from China”, according to 42-year-old weaver Abdulhammed Ajasa. Artisans spend hours arranging threads on looms to create narrow, tightly patterned strips that are later sewn together into wider cloths for garments and accessories.

“This is what Iseyin is known for,” says Kareem Adeola, 35, from behind his loom. “We inherited it from our forefathers.”

AFP

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Nigerians living with albinism demand inclusion beyond pity

Nigerians living with albinism have renewed calls for inclusion, equal treatment and respect, saying their greatest challenge is not health-related conditions but persistent discrimination and social exclusion.

The demand was made at an empowerment and listening session organised by the Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF) in partnership with the Albino Empowerment Foundation, where participants urged government, institutions and the public to move beyond sympathy and address structural barriers facing persons living with albinism.

Speaking at the event, Professor Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, CADEF’s executive director, stressed that real progress only becomes possible when people are respected and included, not pitied.

While relief items such as food, protective clothing and materials to address skin and eye care were shared, Ndukwe-Okafor noted that the most powerful moments came when participants spoke for themselves.

“They reminded us that dignity begins when people are seen fully and treated equally,” she said, adding that self-awareness and knowledge of fundamental human rights are essential tools for self-advocacy.

According to her, understanding one’s rights equips people to demand fairness, inclusion and accountability, a principle CADEF holds firmly in its belief that an informed consumer is an empowered one.

Speaking on the broader meaning of inclusion, Ifeoma Ngesina, founder of the Albino Empowerment Foundation, said inclusion for persons with albinism is fundamentally about dignity and equal rights.

“It is about being seen, being heard and being part of decisions that affect our lives, not being reduced to stereotypes or treated as weak simply because of our skin,” she said.

Ngesina noted that much of the discrimination faced by persons with albinism is driven by myths and rumours, compounded by insufficient public enlightenment. “But when persons with albinism are included in schools, workplaces, leadership spaces and the media, those harmful beliefs begin to fade,” she added.

According to her, inclusion goes beyond access to opportunities; it builds confidence, nurtures leadership and reinforces the truth that every person, regardless of appearance, has value and potential.

Ms. Kobi Ikpo, an advisory board member of CADEF, challenged participants to take ownership of how society relates with them. “If you do not tell people how to treat you, they will not know how to address you,” she said.

In her view, the time for endless complaints has passed; what is needed now is experience-sharing, education and confident self-presentation. “Once you accept yourself as a complete human being deserving of respect, it reflects in how you carry yourself — and that confidence commands respect.”

For Afolake Odudinu, the conversation turned to the harsh realities many families still face. She highlighted how lack of parental enlightenment continues to shape the future of children with albinism.

Some struggle in school not because they lack intelligence, but because poor eyesight is misunderstood as dullness. Too often, such children are withdrawn from school and pushed into lifelong disadvantage.

She recalled a painful encounter with an albino woman selling bottled water under the scorching sun, her skin badly damaged. “Sometimes all you can do is pray,” she said, noting that skin cancer treatment in Nigeria remains out of reach for many.

Beyond education and health, Odudinu also spoke about social and marital challenges, where stigma still shadows many albinos seeking companionship and family life.

Another strong intervention came from Efosa Peter, who warned that empowerment without sincerity is dangerous. He shared how he once joined an organisation claiming to empower albinos, only to discover it had become political, with resources never reaching those who needed them most. “I hate pity. I don’t want to be pitied, I want empowerment,” he said firmly.

Peter described persons with albinism as uniquely gifted with creativity and deep thinking, urging leaders to ensure empowerment initiatives are driven by genuine motives. As a father of three and an associate pastor, he recounted moments of raw ignorance, including people insisting on checking his newborn child for albinism, and stressed that confidence built through self-development is key to overcoming such encounters. “Empowerment must include self-esteem and self-motivation. Many people withdraw because of past experiences. When you see yourself as whole, others will follow,” he said.

Other speakers at the session highlighted challenges ranging from limited access to quality education and healthcare to workplace discrimination and social rejection. Participants warned that many children with albinism are wrongly labelled as dull due to visual impairment, leading to school dropouts and long-term disadvantage.

The organisers said the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to promote rights-based advocacy for persons with disabilities, noting that the empowerment session will be institutionalised as an annual programme. They called on policymakers and stakeholders to prioritise inclusive policies that guarantee equal access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities for Nigerians living with albinism.

By Royal Ibeh, Business Day

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Nigerian TikTok Star 'Sprayed' Money Into Air At A Party, Jailed For 6 Months

 

A Nigerian court on Wednesday sentenced a popular TikToker to six months in jail for "spraying" the local naira currency into the air at a party, a common local celebratory practice.

Murja Kunya, a TikToker from northern Nigerian city of Kano with more than a million followers was sentenced by a federal high court in the city after pleading guilty to the offence, court documents show.

Justice Simon Amobeda gave Kunya an option of 50,000 naira ($33) fine and gave an order appointing her as an online campaigner against naira abuse using her huge following on social media.

Kunya, a 26-year old social media influencer, has earned notoriety for serially running afoul with the law for her online videos deemed immoral by authorities in the predominantly Muslim conservative city.

Her offensive videos led to her several arrests and arraignment in court by the Sharia police called Hisbah.

She was arrested by Nigeria's anti-graft agency, the EFCC, in January after an online video showed her spraying naira notes in a hotel room in the city, an act prohibited under Nigerian law.

The social media influencer was granted administrative bail by the EFCC but absconded and failed to appear in court for arraignment.

She was rearrested in March, after weeks of hide-and-seek with EFCC operatives and arraigned in court where she pleaded guilty.

Celebrating with bank notes, known as "spraying", is common at Nigerian weddings and parties, but prohibited by law for insulting the national naira currency.

Since last year the EFCC has been enforcing a 2007 law outlawing the abuse and mutilation of the naira, while critics say the law is being selectively enforced.

Several celebrities have been arrested and taken to court under the law which provides for up to six months jail term and a 50,000 naira fine.

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Crazy rich Nigerians rain dollars amid naira abuse crackdown

As Nigerian authorities crack down on party goers abusing the naira, the super-rich are now spraying dollars to avoid breaking the law.

As thousands converged on Nnewi in southeast Nigeria to mark the funeral of Margaret Egwuoyibo Oragwa, the event soon transformed from a burial ceremony to a carnival. Music stars Davido, Flavour, Phyno and a host of others entertained guests with their hit songs.

However, unlike in the past, when wads of naira notes were thrown into the air to celebrate, dollar bills dominated the dance floor this time around.

Oragwa’s son, the well-known entrepreneur Cletus Oragwa, could be seen in viral videos throwing $100 bills at Davido. In subsequent videos, Cletus, who goes by the nickname Zenco, is seen dancing as his friends put $100 bills on his head.

In June, there was a similar dollar rain when Davido married his sweetheart, Chioma, at a lavish wedding in Lagos attended by six governors, top CEOs, scores of entertainers and other dignitaries.

“It has become common for celebrants to tell their guests to only throw dollars at them instead of naira,” says Chukwudi Iwuchukwu, a social media influencer and public relations expert.

This is despite the limited inflow of forex to the country amid the ongoing economic crisis.

Naira vs. dollar problems

Although the naira still features at celebrations, it is no longer “thrown around” but handed over to celebrants in bundles. The ‘crazy rich’, however, opt for throwing dollars instead. This change in behaviour can be traced to a renewed crackdown on naira abuse by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria’s anti-corruption watchdog.

Nigerian law forbids the defacing, mutilation or throwing around of the naira, known as “spraying”. According to Section 21 of the Act, the Central Bank of Nigeria will impose a fine of N50,000 ($30), six months in prison, or both, if a person is found guilty of naira abuse.

For years the law only existed on paper and was hardly ever enforced. However, this changed in April 2024 when transgender social media influencer Bobrisky was prosecuted and jailed in Lagos for abuse of the naira.

“The act of mutilating the naira notes has become a menace, which has continued to damage the country’s image. Enough of people mutilating and tampering with our currencies. It has to stop. This will serve as a deterrent to others,” said Justice Abimbola Awogboro in his judgment.

Weeks later, socialite Pascal Okechukwu, who goes by the name Cubana Chief Priest, was also prosecuted for “spraying naira” but escaped jail after paying a hefty fine.

This forced the rich to change their ways, but not in a manner that the authorities imagined.

“Spraying of money at parties is a cultural issue. It is a reflection of who we are and how we express love at parties,” says Iwuchukwu, who is also the CEO of Visage Media. He tells The Africa Report that the practice has become prevalent in the southeast and has led to unhealthy competition among peers which forces some to take to crime.

“It encourages the get-rich-quick syndrome and fuels crime. The government cannot crack down on it because their relatives are also culprits,” he says, adding that using dollars has become more common to avoid arrest.

Legal barrier to stop dollar rain

However, dollars, pounds and euros being sprayed instead of the naira presents a legal dilemma for the authorities and defeats the purpose of the law, says EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale.

“The EFCC is opposed to the culture of impunity but unfortunately it is the naira that is specifically stated in the law. So, the commission will have to devise a means of stopping this disobedience by those circumventing the law. We will look into it,” he tells The Africa Report.

Lagos-based lawyer and human rights activist Inibehe Effiong says there is little the government can do. “Spraying dollars and pounds cannot be criminalised in Nigeria because they are not legal tender,” he says.

“The EFCC are selective in administering justice. Politicians still spray naira and the EFCC looks the other way. Even the president’s relatives have been seen spraying money without consequence.”

By Eniola Akinkuotu, the africa report

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