Ijinle is an entrepreneurship project to preserve vintage Yoruba tailoring via a social enterprise model.
The project seeks to preserve the age-old and fast-dying master-craftsmanship used in producing vintage Yoruba pieces like the Traditional Agbada, Kembe, Agadasi, Dasiki amongst others. As the world transits to
the new frontier of ethnic dressing and Nigeria seeks to embrace its cultural heritage, preserving the skills required to produce vintage dressing is today more expedient than ever.
As the traditional pieces like the above mentioned, and their respective modern versions make a comeback, the custodians of these skills are increasingly faced with poor interest and capacity among our youths
to take up this age-old tradition. Ijinle seeks to close this gap by placing the most willing and capable of Osun youths with requisite tailoring skills under an action-packed internship program working with a veteran and prolific vintage Yoruba tailoring master-craftsman, Mr. Kabir Durojaye based in Mushin, Lagos
Ijinle targets two goals: Heritage and Entrepreneurship – To preserve Yoruba vintage tailoring heritage. To empower the Osun youths by creating more avenues for entrepreneurship. Ijinle is the brain child of elder statesman Sir Wale Adeeyo, Chairman Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,
Governor, State of Osun.
ROADMAP
The project will seek to produce 15 master-crafts (wo)men and entrepreneurs positioned to sustainably fill the increasing market need for vintage pieces and their respective modern versions. The project is an intense 5-month program covering Internship in Lagos, Tooling and Transitioning into a MSME production
cluster. The Internship phase will culminate in ethnic Fashion Show in Lagos to exhibit their works.
Thereafter, the Trainees will be setup with the tools, facilities and business development services to run as a production cluster based out of Osun, with a business development presence in Lagos, Ijinle is an entrepreneurship project to preserve vintage Yoruba tailoring via a social enterprise model. The project seeks to preserve the age-old and fast-dying master-craftsmanship used in producing vintage
Yoruba pieces like the Traditional Agbada, Kembe, Agadasi, Dasiki amongst others. As the world transits to the new frontier of ethnic dressing and Nigeria seeks to embrace its cultural heritage, preserving the skills
required to produce vintage dressing is today more expedient than ever.
As the traditional pieces like the above mentioned, and their respective modern versions make a come back, the custodians of these skills are increasingly faced with poor interest and capacity among our youths
to take up this age-old tradition. Ijinle seeks to close this gap by placing the most willing and capable of Osun youths with requisite tailoring skills under an action-packed internship program working with a veteran and prolific vintage Yoruba tailoring master-craftsman, Mr. Kabir Durojaye based in Mushin, Lagos.
The 15 Trainees were selected from the State of Osun, Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES), the 40,000 strong volunteer social work initiative to engage unemployed youths in community service in exchange for a stipend. The selection was done through a competitive process wherein passion, tailoring skills and state-wide spread where used as criteria. An interesting development, during this phase was that ladies were found to me more willing to partake in the program than men, for a trade which conventionally is male dominated.
The primary internship facilitator is Mr. Kabiru Durojaye, a 56 year old veteran tailor and custodian of authentic Yoruba wears craftsmanship for over 30 years. He is known to have perfected the craft of making vintage bespoke Yoruba outfits with a clientele of the crème-de-la-crème of Yoruba elites in Nigeria. The internship site has been setup close to Mr. Durojaye’s shop, around the Mushin area, Lagos where he has practiced for most of his career. The trainees will be under a specialist upscaling exercise working with Mr. Durojaye over a 5-month program.
Mr. Durojaye will be supported by Ms. Muinat Atunnise of Atunnise Clothiers as project managers. They will guide the project to fruition, structure the skills, transfer process and facilitate business development services to transition the trainees to a viable production cluster after internship. Atunnise Clothiers is a
clothmaking company with a focus on Afro-infused ready-to-wear garments for the Nigerian and Global market. They toll the social line by working with stay at-home mothers, out-of-school teenagers and unemployed/recent graduates on various vocational opportunities across the fashion value chain to make them
better able to help themselves.
The Internship will be followed by the transition phase wherein the project manager will work with project owners, State of Osun Office of Wealth Creation and State of Osun Ministry of Commerce to realize the social enterprise end of this project. Successful trainees will be settled in a production cluster in Osun with
a business development presence in Lagos. The project owners will facilitate access to MSME development loans tied to a market guaranteed off-take.
OUTPUT
Over the 5month program, the trainees will specialize in producing vintage pieces made to mastercraftsman finishing levels. The goal of the project is to train artisans who will master the art of fashion designing and making of bespoke traditional wears that are tailored to perfection, stylish and yet comfortable without losing the touch that makes it vintage and unique. A smaller group of the cluster will also undertake specialist training in handmade embroidery.
Trainees will hone their skills in producing various combinations of clothing as follows:
1. Dasiki/ Kembe
2. Dasiki/Kembe/ Agbada
3. Buba/Agbada/ Agadasi
4. Buba To’Bo/ Agbada Alabe/ Agadasi
5. Buba/ Agbada/ Kembe
In Addition, modern versions of the above and the ethnic wears will be produced as follows:
1. Dasiki Lite
2. Agbada Lite
3. Buba/ Sokoto Premium
IMPACT
Ijinle will champion an example to preserve our vintage tailoring heritage and towards leaving a
legacy for the unborn. This project at completion will revive hope and reward veterans like Mr. Kabir Durojaye whose efforts of many years will live on after many failed attempts to successfully train and retain youths along his line of craft. By adopting the social enterprise model, the project will empower youths to sustain the preservation of this Yoruba heritage. Ijinle uniquely combines wealth creation, a major solution to the current challenge facing our Nation with
preservation of culture. Specifically, Ijinle will deliver:
A standard operating procedure for training youths on vintage Yoruba tailoring.
Produce 15 master-craftsmen and master-craftswomen as a social enterprise.
Showcase the heritage and innovation in vintage Yoruba tailoring. Champion a model of job and wealth Creation.
Champion infusion of vintage design and style into the mainstream and contemporary fashion for profitability and market expansion.
PARTNERSHIPS
Ijinle project seeks support in two areas – Patronage and Development Finance.
Patronage: Notable Nigerians and cultural enthusiasts worldwide are invited to patronize the project during the internship phase by ordering our vintage wears made to the very high level of craftsman finishing. The project is driven by the number of jobs it can get. Patrons are invited to order as many pieces possible to sustain the project. Orders can be made via a phone call to 09099177430 or via email to
ijinleproject@gmail.com. Development Finance: To realize production cluster side of the project, the cluster will need access to cheap capital for the purpose of operations and business development. Development institutions that are
keen about promoting social enterprise are invited to support this unique empowerment initiative to open a new vista of opportunities for Nigerian youths.
