PHOTOS: First Lady Remi Tinubu’s visit to Abia to promote Akwete weaving heritage

The First Lady Oluremi Tinubu visited Abia State on Tuesday to celebrate and promote the historic Akwete weaving heritage in Ukwa East Local Government Area of the state. Governor Alex Otti of Abia and his wife, Priscilla, were around to show solidarity with Mrs Tinubu, who donated N2 billion to the Abia State Government to support the development of Akwete fabric, a prestigious hand-woven textile indigenous to the Akwete community in Abia. “I am in awe of all the richness of what the Akwete fabrics stand for,” Mrs Tinubu said. “I love traditional outfits because our tradition, our culture, tells us who we are. The moment we lose that, we won’t remember where we come from. “The craft was transferred from generation to generation. It is a sacred craft done with love, patience, and endurance. “The tradition of the Akwete handmade fabric is dear to the hearts of the women who make it, and they should be encouraged to pass it on to the next generation.” She promised Governor Otti that if President Bola Tinubu wins the 2027 presidential election for a second term, she would wear a wrapper and “buba” made from Akwete for the inauguration. Here are photos from the First Lady’s visit, taken by Kelex Ofoedu, the official photographer for Governor Otti. Cletus Ukpong is PREMIUM TIMES' Assistant Managing in charge of South-East/South-South region of Nigeria. He is a graduate of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Twitter: @CletusUkpong