ADEJOKE LASISI: A YOUNG AND PASSIONATE WEAVER IN IBADAN Femi Ojo
Adejoke @ work |
Weaving is a profession in the fashion industry
that is as old as time itself. It is common knowledge that this profession is populated
by the more older generation in Nigeria and when it comes to venturing into any business, majority of Nigerian youths do not see this profession as their first
choice of business. But in Ibadan, there is an unusual young lady, Adejoke
Lasisi, who has not only seen weaving as an occupation but a feeling, an art, a
passion and she uses her skills in this art to inspire and empower the youths
in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Adejoke
Lasisi is a graduate of Economics from Obafemi Awolowo University and a proud
President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative, Regional Leadership Center,
West Africa, Accra Ghana award winner in September 2015. She participated in the Global
Entrepreneurship Training in West Africa held in Ghana in conjunction with
Handong Global University (HGU) Korea in 2014. She won the funding award at
AYEEN 2014, where some international business experts were inspired by her exceptional,
creative, problem-solving and employment generating ideas. The young lady is the Chief Executive Officer
and founder of Jokelinks Weaving School in Ibadan. The weaving school provides
basic and advanced weaving techniques by using handlooms and other weaving
equipment exploring different colours, fibers and textures to create beautiful handmade material. Adejoke boasts that hers is the premier weaving school of this type in Nigeria and
it offers a full slate of classes and workshops in weaving to everyone who is
interested in this line of business.
One of the Trainees @ work |
Speaking
about how she started her business in weaving, Adejoke passionately responded “I
was exposed to weaving at a very tender age, my mother is a weaver, I learnt
the art from her but with my education and exposure, I have taken it beyond how
it used to be. I left the business to further my education at the university
and after finishing school, I returned and found Jokelinks; a weaving school
and clothing company, I am doing what I have passion for. I bring creative
concepts and ideas alive through mastery of yarn, thread and loom. I am a
weaver with a difference, I impact knowledge and train youths”.
work mood activated |
Jokelinks Weaving School, is a unique brand that blends traditional and
modern wears in a way that creates unique style in clothing. Indeed, if anyone
is looking for a brand that specializes in beautiful Asooke (loom weaving of
cloth) Jokelinks is the right place to go!
Adejoke explaining her innovative idea on her business said “in
the past people only use Asooke (hand woven cloth) for occasional purposes but
not for casual wears due to its non-durability. Now I have found a way to make
this durable but also lighter and fit enough for casual outfits”
Aside Adejoke's entrepreneurial skills on weaving, she is a great advocate of knowledge and she
has devised many ways of giving back to the society. One of such ways, is her
partnership with the Oyo State Government Skills Acquisition Program for senior
secondary schools. She has been using her skills and knowledge of weaving to
train senior secondary school students in Oyo State empowering them while still
pursuing their academics.
Starting
a weaving business at first was met with great opposition by my family. Adejoke
said “ it seemed impossible to start my profession , it did not receive any
warm welcome by my family especially my mother from whom I first learnt the
trade, she was of the opinion that a white collar job would pay since I am
educated. I had to convince her that I could bring new ideas, innovations and
unique creativeness and expand the frontier of weaving profession and reduce
the over-reliance on government” Today Joke has made good her promise, she has
actually expanded the frontier of this business by taking her business beyond
Nigeria.
Adejoke's work |
In
her final words, Adejoke said’ at JWS, we offer day, evening and weekend
classes. Our day session runs between 9am-4pm and our evening session runs
between 4pm-6pm. The weekend session starts from 10am-4pm (Saturdays), 1pm-5pm(Sundays) and
from November 6th – 8th, 2015 we have an upcoming
three-day workshop on introduction to weaving, where we are going to teach
people on the basics of weaving. We want everyone that is interested in Ibadan
and environment to participate in this workshop, we are going to empower more youths"
For
further information please contact Joke on: 08050700525, 08125258788
and BBM:
331422DF.
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