- Photo caption: Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II,
The Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, has advocated for the patronage of made-in-Nigeria products.
This is just as he frowned at the influx of fake and sub-standard imported goods by those he described as unpatriotic merchants.
The Benin monarch, spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Osaigbovo Iguobaro, at the weekend at Oba’s Palace in Benin, the Edo state capital, while responding to a call by the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Otunba Francis Meshioye, to champion advocacy for Nigerian made products.
Oba of Benin, who talked about his role as the custodian of Nigerian culture and tradition, while outlining the importance of boosting local content for sustainable economic growth.
He pointed out that Nigerians as a people like good products and would patronise made-in-Nigeria goods, if they were competitive in quality and pricing.
Relevant agencies of government, he said must address the challenge of fake drugs and do away with those things that made illicit deals thrive, while advocating for enduring intervention that would boost Nigerians’ confidence in local pharmaceutical industries and patronage by recognising opportunities.
Governments at all levels in Nigeria, the Oba said must put measures in place to boost productivity, aimed at reducing high dependency on crude oil export revenue for economic survival.
“I do not know how you are going to deal with the problem of importation, exportation and so on and so forth. The Federal Government needs to do a lot of work.
“It is good to do more advocacy to patronise made-in-Nigeria goods, but if the made-in-Nigeria goods are competitive in quality and pricing, I am sure that Nigerians will patronise them,” the Oba of Benin said.
Also speaking, the President of MAN, Otunba Francis Meshioye who was accompanied to the Palace by some members of the executive, thanked the Oba of Benin for his contributions to peaceful co-existence and progress of Nigeria.
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