By Vera Wisdom-Bassey
The Olori of Iwaya Kingdom, Rebecca Temitope Oloko, has launched a cultural and economic empowerment initiative to revive traditional hairstyling, while supporting women entrepreneurs in the community.
The initiative, themed, ‘Onidiri: A Heritage Salute to Skill and Style,’ was held at the palace of the Oba of Iwaya, Suleiman Owolabi Oloko.
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The maiden edition of the event brought together dignitaries, community members and stakeholders from across Lagos State.
As part of the programme, 300 women were empowered in different ways. Some received soft loans with flexible repayment options, while others had their shops equipped with hairdressing materials to strengthen their businesses.
According to the Olori, the initiative was designed not only to promote economic self-reliance among women but also to safeguard Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
Speaking at the event, Olori Oloko lamented the decline of Didi, a traditional plaiting technique once widely practised across Nigeria.
“Most times when I go out to do my hair and I ask if they know how to do Didi, the reply is ‘no.’ And if they try, the lines are not in place,” she said. “I also realised that many people now prefer weaving because hairdressers skilled in Didi are scarce. That is why I decided to bring this innovation to the table so we can go back to our heritage.”
The empowerment programme featured a hairstyling competition with 12 contestants, who showcased different traditional plaiting styles. At the end of the contest, four winners, Mary, Oluwatobi, Kehinde and Idowu, emerged and went home with wrappers and other gift items.
To further support women in the hairdressing business, she partnered with Re-Trust Microfinance Bank to provide loans to those who lacked the capital to set up or rent shops. In addition, Soul-Mates Manufacturing Company pledged to equip shops with professional materials for beneficiaries who demonstrated seriousness about their trade.
The Olori explained that a system of partial payment was adopted to encourage accountability. “The essence of requiring instalment payment is to make them serious. Free money often makes people less committed. If they know that Soul-Mates gave them items on discount and they must pay partly, they will take the business seriously. I will also sign for them and ensure the payments are completed at the end of the day,” she said.
One of the beneficiaries, Elizabeth Samuel, a mother of three, shared her story. She said proceeds from hairstyling helped her rent an apartment and train her children. She expressed joy at the opportunity to showcase her talent before dignitaries and the community.
The event also celebrated other aspects of Nigerian tradition, with cultural entertainment provided by Peter Anikwere, a palm wine tapper from Enugu State, who inherited the trade from his late father. Guests were served fresh traditional wine as part of the festivities.
Among the dignitaries present were Apata Samson Nunayon, National Vice President of the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN); Dr. Lasisi Abiodun, Consultant at Eko Destination Ltd; representatives of LASERA; officials of Re-Trust Microfinance Bank; and executives of Soul-Mates Manufacturing Company.
The Olori emphasised that the initiative would be sustained to ensure that women are empowered and traditional hairstyling is preserved for future generations.
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