OSOGBO – The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has charged the Federal Government of Nigeria to intensify its patronage of local manufacturers as a deliberate means of growing the economy.
He decried government usage of the dollar as a means of benchmarking the economy, saying it is time for the government to be serious about building a productive economy.
Speaking with journalists at his palace in Ile-Ife in commemoration of his eighth anniversary of ascending the Ooni throne, he said the country’s political leaders must begin to patronise local industry in every sector in a bid to generate employment for the teeming populace.
According to him, it is time our leaders ensure that 70 per cent of product they use or consume is made locally. Their fleet of cars should be made up of the likes of Innoson vehicles. Our leaders should lead by example. They should make it a policy for foreign companies to produce 70 per cent of their products in Nigeria, or they cannot get contracts in the country.
“Lawmakers and the executive should start using local products. I am a good example of a local content user; my attire is 75 per cent made in Nigeria. How many of our leaders wear made-in-Nigeria products?
“How many of their cars are made or assembled in Nigeria? My cap is made in Ife, Osun State; my overall was made in Iseyin, Oyo State; my beads are made in Edo and Ife; my shoes are made in Aba, Abia State; and my clothing is made in Kano State.
“Our lawmakers should start wearing clothes made in Nigeria to build the economy and stop using the dollar as the benchmark for everything; that is the best way to reduce the dollar pressure on our economy; that is the way to provide jobs for the youths and make our economy very productive and vibrant,” he said.
He further berated the financial institution in the country for its attempt to kill Innosson Motors, which is a source of pride for the country, commending everyone who stood by the organisation.
He also charged lawmakers to promulgate a law that will ensure that political officeholders show patriotism by buying and using a made-in-Nigeria product.
“Our leaders and lawmakers should begin to grade themselves; they should be using 70 per cent of made-in-Nigeria products; if you can’t do that, then don’t sit in the chamber to make laws for us. May God not let us witness the consequences of frustrated Nigerian youths, he added.
