The federal government has been urged to encourage the evolution of an indigenous textiles technology as a means of enhancing national development.

A lecturer at Delta State University (Department of Fine and Applied Arts), Patience Edo-Akpojena, made this appeal yesterday at an exhibition she hosted at the Arts and Culture, Area 10, Abuja.

She said many Nigerians were talented in arts and creativity, but generally lack motivation from government to enable them to develop their potentialities. She said textile production was her calling and she had developed the art over decades.

"This exhibition is sourced from the Niger-Delta. Each of them are cultural objects from Urhoba, Delta central, Aniocha/Oshimiri, Delta North and Isoko as well as other parts of Delta state," she said.

She also called on government and corporate bodies to encourage local artists as finance was a major hindrance.

She thanked Social Development Secretariat of the FCT for giving her a free space to exhibit her products. So far, Edo has exhibited products at Delta State University, Abraka; Delta Steel Company, Aladja; College of Education, Warri and Abuja. She said she would exhibit at the British Council next month.

She said she had written several books to showcase the operations of her works and urged Nigerians to patronise locally-made textile materials.