Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition in Raffia Fibre Embellished Household Articles: Implications for Alleviating Poverty in Southwestern Nigeria

The contribution of entrepreneurship training and education to poverty reduction through youth empowerment will be much more significant if entrepreneurship skill acquisition is encouraged at all levels. The study assessed the use of indigenous fibres to produce household articles; identifying youth entrepreneurship in South western Nigeria. The population comprised Nine Hundred (900) entrepreneurs (undergraduates) and two hundred and ten (210) Homemakers (Female academic and non-academic staff) randomly selected from three (3) significant states in the south west (Lagos, Oyo, and Ogun). Structured questionnaire consisting of four likert scale was used to elicit information on acceptability and entrepreneurial values of the articles produced. Findings revealed the acceptability of the household articles produced using indigenous fibre (3.52) for aesthetic and functional purposes. The acquisition of skills exclusive to clothing and textiles in production of household articles using indigenous fibres were; creativity (3.82), innovative inclination (3.88) and skill demonstration (e.g. weaving) 3.62. Also export drive (3.88), source of income (3.82) and cultivation of indigenous fibres (3.11) are the entrepreneurial values of the study. T-Test result (t=30.5 df=1001) revealed a significant relationship between household articles production and raffia embellishment at P<0.05. Conclusively, raffia fiber can be used as trimmings for embellishment as well as production of household articles, such as table mat. The study recommends that workshop and seminars should be carried out by government and Non-Governmental Organizations to train entrepreneurs and trainers on the production of household articles using indigenous fibres. Also, entrepreneurs and textiles industries should utilize indigenous fibres to produce goods and quality household articles to curb the menace of the craving for imported goods at the expense of indigenous products.