Jelili Atiku Foundation organises community solo fashion show for children
By Olushola Okewole
The Jelili Atiku Foundation in conjunction with Ashake Clothing, a Fashion Designing Outfit, has engaged the children of Agbole community in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in a social event with solo fashion show to explore their talents in modeling.
The fashion show, according to the conveners, is organised to project the creativity of one of the residents of the community, the CEO of Ashake Clothing, Miss Omowunmi Ashake, who has been sewing clothes in Imodi compound, Agbole area of Ejigbo LCDA to depict the beauty of the community which was the first settlement in Ejigbo Land.
The Fashion Designer made different attires for 16 children in the community for the fashion solo show which was tagged “Ma Dull Ara e” that is “Don’t dull yourself” fashion show.
Commenting about the programme, Ashake expressed satisfaction and fulfillment with the fashion show and for being able to do something for the children in the community which got them motivated and excited.
She explained that she was motivated by her mentor, Prince Jelili Atiku, who noticed the creativity and potential in her and pushed her to do something.
The designer, who specialises in female native attires, said her interest in females was out of passion to encourage them especially the young girls in the society.
She explained that the Yoruba native attires depicted the Yoruba likeness for party, adding that she organised the show in order to let the children feel they are not missing anything during the lockdown and also to identify their potentials in modeling.
Ashake, who hails from Agbole community Ejigbo, said her dream is to be a top model and a great fashionista.
The President and founder of Jelili Atiku Foundation, Prince Jelili Atiku, who is also the CDC chairman, Ejigbo, explained that the idea behind the initiative was to get people to be active even during the lockdown.
He explained that the theme of the show ‘Ma Dull Ara e’ was to tell people to be active but not be dull.
He noted that the trauma of the COVID- 19 pandemic has been affecting people in such a way that they do not believe in what they have and could do again, saying the show was a call to the people to be alive and socialise amidst the crisis.
He said: “Trauma is dangerous as the children are really affected with the lack of social and school activities which keep them up, so they became dull not going to school for the period of this pandemic.
“So, what we’re doing for the children here is natural palliative which builds their confidence and brings out the talents in them for the world to see and for the community to be developed.”
He explained that the idea of using the Imodo compound for the show was to let the neighbours know that the community cares for them and to let people know togetherness in the community and be happy together.
He therefore encouraged all the CDAs to always look out for talents in their communities which could be translated into economic growth for the community and government at large, saying each CDA should look at resources in their communities.
He said he has identified the potential in Ashake and that the community is set to groom her to become the best she could be as he encouraged the youths to develop themselves, urging them not to depend on anybody but look within themselves to develop their communities.
The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Tailors NUT), Ejigbo branch, Mr. Waheed Adebayo, who was part of the organising team of the event, expressed his satisfaction and urged parents to always learn to discover the potential of their children in time and encourage them.
