By Elizabeth Adegbesan
Nigerians are beginning to value what they produce, especially clothes.Ready-made foreign clothes, shoes and bags were valued a long time ago especially with women wanting to look and dress like the westerners.
This trend has been in vogue for years, then okrika (foreign used clothes) came in and became the choice of those who couldn’t afford Turkey and US wears despite Nigeria’s local wears littering markets.
However, Economy&Lifestyle has discovered that many Nigerians are now embracing the local wears as the lifestyle of wearing foreign made wears is becoming difficult to sustain.
Mrs. Adanna Nnamdi, a local made clothes seller in Onitsha, said: “It is before you see people buying foreign made clothes.
“Now people prefer locally made clothes.Our Nigerian wears now have higher quality than it used to be before.
“Even shoes are not left out. Most of us selling Nigerian made clothes purchased from manufacturers in places like Aba and here too. Look at this skirt and blouse. Can you tell it is Nigerian made?
“That is the quality I am talking about.Many retail and wholesale clothes sellers do buy from me to resell.
“And they come almost every two weeks because of the high patronage.”
Mrs. Lovelyn Shaman, a banker said: “I am a lover of women foreign made clothes.
“But recently, I had to switch to Nigerian made clothes including native attires.What motivated me was the day I saw a colleague putting on a very beautiful dress.
“I asked her who the designer was and she told me it was Nigerian made. I was shocked.
“Looking at the quality of the fabric and the finishing.The next shock was the price which is ten times the price of a gown I wear. I was glad I found a source for cheap clothes with quality because I was already looking at how to cut down on my budget for clothes as my salary could no longer support all my expenses. Now, I am glad I am wearing Nigerian made clothes.”
Mr. Kingsley Aidelogie, a footwear seller said: “I used to be and am still a foreign made clothes lover.
“While I was in the higher institution, most of my clothes were designer.I spent most of my upkeep allowance on these designer clothes.
“However, when I graduated and started working recently, I saw that I couldn’t maintain such a lifestyle.
“Okrika was no alternative because despite being used, it is now expensive.I visited the market and saw neatly sewn local readymade shirts and trousers.
“I was told it was Nigerian made. But I doubted such claims because of the quality of the materials used and the flawless finishing.That was how I became a lover of locally made Nigerian clothes.
“They are cheap, comfortable and have good quality.”
Mrs. Ujunwa Momodu, a female clothes seller said: “I used to stock up my shop with foreign females ready made clothes.
“But recently, sales have dropped.Then I did a market research and I found out women are going for Nigerian ready made clothes including native attires.
“I had to restrategize and stocked more Nigerian ready made female clothes. I created a notice outside my shop announcing our newly stock wears. In two weeks customer patronage grew.People are now valuing what was abandoned all for the sake of cutting costs.”
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