How Nigerian handcrafters created Costus Spectabilis flowers that won’t wither

The months of June to August were exciting months for handcrafters in Nigeria thanks to the Opendayforhandcraftersng, a platform created by Her Excellency, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo for the promotion of handcrafts in Nigeria. A Crochet Pattern Writing competition was organized to create the Costus Spectabilis (the Nigerian National Flower) with yarn or cotton. Talk about crenovation!

Participants were to be judged based on life-likeness, structure and color, ease of following pattern and presentation by judges from fields of Fashion (Mrs. Lanre Da-Silva) Creative Arts(Mrs. Simi Adesanya), Horticulture (Prof. Abiodun Ayodele), Gardening (Mrs. Nimi Akinkugbe) and Handcrafts (Mrs. Oluseyi Abdullahi)

The grand price of 200,000 Naira among other prizes like Fuel Voucher, Beauty products, Home ware, Craft tools, Yarn, Food were won. Six winners out of Twenty Eight participants emerged on the 15^th of August, 2020 (first, second and third position each from Lagos and Abuja locations). Farida Ibrahim and Awonsanya Oluwatosin were the grand prize winners from Abuja and Lagos respectively. The best part of this competition was that every participant won something which for us at Saloretun is beyond the physical gifts but the opportunity to be identified with such unique and gifted community.

We are particularly excited about the narrative being created for Handcraft in Nigeria via the Opendayforhandcraftersng platform and we look forward to more events such as this.