The idea I will propose to make Nigeria a leading Nation by 2020 is for her to invest in her Fashion Industry. Fashion tells the story of a people and embodies the creativity of an individual. With fashion you are able to sell not just a skillfully woven piece of material, but you invade territories with the story of your culture.

Let Nigeria invest in Fashion and it will be the country to reckon with. This is because fashion has always been a part of human evolution. From the days of animal hides, furs and feathers to the now refined cotton, silk, flax and wool, fashion is dynamic and will only be more indispensable by the years. Nigeria having been endowed with beautiful fabrics such as the kampala, adire, ankara, etc is well poised to take over the world in the fashion industry. The elegance shown when these fabrics are woven is simply breathtaking. Just like Japan is known for its technology and the US for its commercial vibrancy, let Nigeria be known for its Fashion!

It has truly become imperative that Nigeria be a major player in an area of endeavor in our world. We have been in the news for too many wrong things; from accusations of terrorism to corruption and now political instability. Thankfully, there is the brighter side, because Nigeria is also known for vibrant industries such as entertainment and movie, so much so that Nollywood is among the top three in the world when it comes to the movie industry. Going by a 2009 UNESCO report[1], Nigeria ranks second in the world and next only to Bollywood in terms of its movie base. This is impressive and is something the nation can be proud of, albeit there’s still a lot of room for improvement. Nollywood is not the only great thing to be attributed to the country. The problem however is that the potentials that we see are not properly developed.

Before I derail off my focus, Nollywood is not meant to be the hub of this write-up. Rather, I am proposing a strengthening of the Fashion industry of Nigeria. Achieving this by 2020 will just require extra determination and commitment because already, there is a structure in place whereby people learn about fashion one way or the other. Way back from the time when I was in Junior Secondary school, we had been taught in Home Economics class how to tack clothes. I remember how I had my fingers sewn a few times instead of the piece of clothe I had been given. Lessons like this will form the foundation for a budding Designer.

Furthermore, in order to be the leader in Fashion by 2020, the Nigerian fashion industry needs to be properly defined and regulated. International Fashion weeks need to be started on a grand scale and not on individual platforms. We do not have to go out all the time before we showcase our fabrics, let the world begin to come to us. Let the likes of Calvin Klein, Channel, and Ralph Lauren seek out slots to feature in the Nigerian Fashion week.

Currently in Nigeria, you can go to the University and bag a degree in Arts, Law, Engineering, Education and so on. In developing the Fashion industry to a point of prominence by 2020, Nigerian Universities need to acknowledge the potentials of this industry by offering Fashion courses for aspiring fashion designers just like you have it in the University of Derby, for example, where you can actually obtain a BA (Hons) in Fashion Studies.

There is no denying the fact that there are pre-existing major players in the field of fashion, such as Italy, London, France etc. This however does not preclude Nigeria from leading the pack. After all, that is what happened with Nollywood because according to history, Hollywood is the oldest movie industry in the world[2], yet its now trailing Nigeria in third place with regards to the number of movies released every year. This tells me that overtaking is allowed. Let Nigeria not be fazed by the richness of the Paris designers or the ingenuity of American designers. In getting to that point where we can teach the rest of the world what quality fashion is, we also need to from within, develop young talents. We need to be proud of our products because there is no doubt that clothes made from African fabric are very artistic and elegant

There is nothing new under the sun. In other words, there is no industry or endeavor that Nigeria might want to venture into or develop which a country is probably not already known for. The focus should be how to get on the scene and become the most relevant in that field. There is a slogan that goes with the advert of an American company (Lucent Technologies) and it says: We not only manufacture, we make better. This slogan captures the essence of what should be the driving force for Nigeria if she wants to, by 2020, be known as the Nation that clothes the world

Frank Oshodi, Dakova, Momo Couture, Deola Sagoe etcetera – you need to see their designs, and you will be proud that you are a Nigerian. These are Nigerian designers already on world stage, attending major fashion events at New York, Paris and the likes. As a matter of fact, Momo’s clothes have been worn by renowned models such as Alek Wek, Oluchi, and Liya Kebede. Imagine if we had many more of their breed, all coming up with excellent designs using our rich and beautiful African fabrics.

We need to through our fashion, reveal the artistry in the Nigerian culture, the diversity of the Nigerian people and unveil the mysteries of our being. Paris is such a beautiful city that there’s a cliché saying that goes: See Paris and die! I have never been to Paris but the news of its beautiful buildings and lovely architectural designs have me captivated. Nigeria can be made a major player in the fashion industry that when our designs are seen, it speaks volumes and observers will yearn to visit the country from which such creativity emanated.

It has been said in some quarters that ideas rule the world. But I’ll say the idea is just the beginning. It is the achievers that rule our world! So let this idea be taken up by those who believe, let them run with it. Let them torch every corner of the world with the fire of their passion so that just as it is said of the U.S that when it sneezes, the world catches cold, it will be said of Nigeria that if she stops inventing/creating fabrics and fashion styles, the whole world goes naked!

How many believe?

I do!

[1] http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20090506813675

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_industry