The Abuja Arts and Crafts Market, Jabi, is one destination in the nation’s capital, which residents may not know exist, but over the years, has become a port of call to tourists and holidaymakers.
A trip round the market will show that Africans make 90 per cent of the works and goods displayed. Some of these works are also displayed in 5-Star hotels as decorations and for home beautification. They said their expatriate customers have returned home to their countries, coupled with government’s policy, which is not favourable to the art merchants. Salisu Musa, a young man from Kano, who is into basket weaving and beads making, said sales for him was much higher before the lockdown, adding that despite life returning to normal, he is yet to have the type of sales he had before COVID-19 era.
According to him, his major challenge is repatriation of some of his works back to the country. He said when tourist purchase his works and take back to their countries to keep in their museums, when Nigerians, who tour such countries see these works, they conclude that they were part of stolen artefacts from Benin, and thereafter, begin demand for repatriation of those works.
Richard Nake, a Togolese, who has been in the business all his life and has eked out a living in Nigeria for almost three decades selling them, said his works add beauty to existence and he is proud of his profession.