The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has announced that more than 10 million pieces of Adire fabric were sold within just four days during the ongoing National Sports Festival in Ogun State.
Olopade made this known during a press conference held at the Media Center, Cultural Center Abeokuta, the state capital.
He explained that he’s interactions with leadership of Adire trader’s association in Ogun revealed the economic boost the festival has brought to the host state.
According to him, this surge in Adire sales is just one example of how the festival has positively impacted the local economy.
Olopade hinted that the multiplier effects of the festival include increased activity in the hospitality sector, with hotels in Abeokuta fully booked and visitors resorting to private accommodations due to high demand.
According to him “When you go to Babcock on the entrance of Babcock over a hundred small scale businesses operating there I know authoritatively that in the last ten days we have sold over 10 million Adire clothing over 10 million I know because their direct sellers are complaining now that they are out of stock we have more demand than supply right now.
“The impacts of sport can not be overemphasised, because of this festival, we have witnessed building of new roads, health care infrastructure development, and capacity building visibility.
“Hotels in Abeokuta are recording high patronage due to this festival. This is part of the economic impacts of sport. Sports does not only unite people, it boosts the economy of a nation.
“Let’s talk about the naira and kobo. Over three hundred small scale businesses are operating inside the stadium in 2019. People became multimillionaires, people showed me houses that they built after the games and they are there again doing their business when you go to Babcock on the entrance of Babcock over a hundred small scale businesses are there because of this game.”, Olopade said.
