JABU begins production of lawyers’ silk wigs

It will create employment, generate revenue, says VC

Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, at the weekend, said that it had begun the production of silk wigs for lawyers in the country.

Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Olasebikan Fakolujo, who revealed that the innovation was geared towards redefining the standards of legal attire and setting a new benchmark for distinction in the academic realm, said that the wig production was made with 100 per cent silk.

According to Fakolujo, who stressed that the initiative was part of the institution’s goal as the first entrepreneurial university in Nigeria, JABU Law students would benefit from the development.

The VC, who stated that the institution has planned to spread the payment for the wig over three to four years to ensure that law students have at least one week after the completion of their studies, added that it would generate revenue not only for the university but also for other institutions producing lawyers.

He said: “The rate of production of lawyers is so high today. We have potential lawyers, and the market is there. So, we can explore the market and tap into it to become a revenue-making venture.”

“The production cost would be lower as the materials are sourced locally. The university plans to dedicate farmland to growing some components of the wig to make it more affordable. The university will, over time, explore entrepreneurial ventures to generate funds and achieve self-sufficiency.”

Fakolujo, who also spoke on the contribution of wig production to the economy, noted that the initiative would help to create employment opportunities as more members of staff would be employed to sustain production.

On his part, a professor of Agricultural Economics, AdeduroAdegeye, explained that the wig was produced by a team of individuals skilled in knitting, fashion design, and other relevant areas after careful study of an existing one.

Adegeye said that “silk is the most expensive fibre in the world and when it is used like this – production – or in a raw form to make things, it is very expensive, adding that the silk wig towers above others being produced.”

He added that the existing ones on the market are made of imitation materials, while the silk wig produced by JABU is a specialised one.