Tanure Ojaide and Youth Empowerment in the Niger Delta: The Inkle Loom Design Paradigm

Tanure Ogaide is a socially conscious poet. Due to his sensitivity, social commitment, and political engagement, his poetry delineates ecological spoliation, political marginalization, economic dispossession and the denigration of Niger Delta people. In addition to this role of the poet as a social critic, he proffers solutions to the problems that plague his society, especially his native Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Hence, this interdisciplinary paper examines the poet’s warning against laziness and senseless violence and the need for the youths to attain economic empowerment and financial independence through individual creativity, talent and skill. It pays particular attention to the poet’s portraiture of the loom and the significance of clothes and clothing materials, using inkle weaving as a creative art that can promote wealth and job creation, thereby minimizing poverty, discontent, unrest and violence in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Inkle weaving is an ancient hand manipulative art. Inkle looms equipment is for weaving strips or bands of warp-faced fabric. The loom, like Navajo back-strap and inkle are portable, accessible and are used to produce fascinating strong bands such as guitar and camera straps, colorful shoelaces, belts, fashion accessories and to aesthetically enhance clothing. However, fragmented knowledge of its production process is known in most tertiary institutions and in medium scale textile industries. The experimental research method has been adopted and it is essential to promote weaving efficiency, economic empowerment and self-reliance amongst Niger Delta youths. This study holds that knowledge of inkle weaving technique will provide substitute woven fabrics for art practitioners; encourage creativity and innovation, and entrepreneurship practice. It will also solve socioeconomic challenges and manpower needs by building youths into responsible citizens with skills in handling inkle tools, materials and equipment for an improved indigenous textile industry.Key Words: inkle loom, youth empowerment, Niger Delta, strip, warp faced, warp, weft, shuttle, heddle