Monrovia – Mr. Boniface Ihiasota, Publisher of Excel Magazine International in Collaborations with Tekay Designs, is visiting Liberia for the first time to showcase some of Liberia’s fashion designs through the Liberian National Tailor Textile Garments and Allied workers Union.
Report by Mae Azango [email protected]
“I am here because Kimma Wreh of Tekay Designs, whom you have made your ambassador in the diaspora, is a true daughter of the soil, because she is working tirelessly with Excel Magazine and other partners to place the Tailor Union on the International map,” said Mr. Ihiasota.
Mr. Ihiasota, who met with the Liberian Tailor Union and its executives, including the Board Directors and members in Monrovia Tuesday, said he is in Liberia to work with the Union in promoting it internationally and connecting them with investors who have interest in fashion designs and empowering the disable community as well.
“Kimma once told me, this industry has been overlooked for a long time in Liberia, but me and my friends, will move this industry to the next level.”
“Hard work has moved me to where I am, so I am here because of the partnership with Kimma, so I want to see how we can work together to move Liberia to a greater height.”
“I want to say to you, Liberian Tailor Union, you are primary constituent, so we will never do anything with the government without including this union”, he said.
Mr. Ihiasota further told the Union that they have something that many people do not have, which is the tailoring trade but they do not value what they have as Africans.
“You have something that many do not have, because learning a trade, can keep you going even when you are old. “
“We Africans do not know what we have until we wear our designs out of our countries and people ask you to make the design for them. But I will do my best so that everything you have to showcase be showcased internationally.”
“I want to get passport size pictures along with your name, so we can start promoting you internationally”, he asserted.
Mr. Lasana K. Dawon, President of the Liberia National Tailor Textile Garments and Allied Workers Union, thanked Mr. Ihiasota and expressed that the Union has been hoping and asking Kimma to send them a partner to work with them, so they could be exposed internationally, and their dream has now turned to reality.
We’re really happy to have you here to see us, because we have been asking our Ambassador that we wanted a partner and you have come to help us be known internationally, so we thank you,” said Mr. Dawon.
For his part, Mr. Blessing Rogers, National Youth Chairman of the Union, said despite the Taylor Union going abroad for fashion shows, there is still a need for such shows to be held here in the future.
“We think there is a need that something similar is done in Liberia, where stakeholders will attend. President Sirleaf once told us to organize something in Liberia and she would invite Ambassadors from other countries to attend, but we have been doing some planning but we need help in making it a reality”, he appealed.
Mr. Rogers disclosed to Mr. Ihiasota that the Union has trained 75 tailors, and they want to train more young people to be tailors in Liberia, but they need the support.
Mr. Ihiasota later visited the national union of the organization of disable in Monrovia and met with second Vice President Mr. Daniel Dargbe, who outlined their recent meeting with the Legislature, to make good their promises of including the Disable Community in the national Budget.
Ihiasota asked to meet with the entire group at a later date to plan on how to include them in his organization.