LAGOS — The Lagos State Government has launched an innovative water-based learning initiative, Library on the Lagoon, aimed at deepening environmental awareness, tackling pollution, and advancing the state’s blue economy agenda.
The initiative, unveiled on Monday at the Five Cowries Creek Terminal in Falomo, Ikoyi, is designed to transform public engagement with Lagos waterways by turning the lagoon into an interactive space for learning, reflection, and environmental advocacy.
Speaking at the launch, General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr. Tunde Ajayi, said the project aligns with the state’s commitment to environmental sustainability through creative and inclusive approaches.
Ajayi, who represented the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, said the agency partnered the initiative to bridge environmental monitoring with artistic expression and public participation.
“We saw this as an opportunity to engage creative minds in environmental protection while raising awareness about pollution in our waterways,” he said.
Project Director, Mrs. Maryam Kazeem, described the initiative as a “social research platform” that redefines the traditional concept of a library by moving it onto the water.
According to her, the project encourages participants to interact directly with the lagoon through guided activities that promote critical thinking about its history, current condition, and future.
“The lagoon becomes a shared learning space where knowledge is created through interaction and collective experience,” she said.
Kazeem noted that the initiative also addresses the growing challenge of pollution through creative tools, including a prototype trash collection system powered by a typewriter, aimed at stimulating public dialogue and action.
“At the centre is a trash wheel powered by a typewriter, still in its prototype stage. It invites people to observe the water and rethink their relationship with it,” she explained.
She stressed that tackling environmental degradation requires collective responsibility beyond government intervention.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Blue Economy, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, described the project as a model of collaborative governance involving government, private sector, and civil society.
“Government cannot do it alone. Initiatives like this show the power of partnerships in preserving our lagoons and promoting sustainability,” Emmanuel said.
He added that the state government is committed to supporting the expansion of the initiative across Lagos waterways to increase its impact.
Ajayi further disclosed that LASEPA continues to monitor pollution levels across the state’s water bodies, focusing on water quality and pollution density, while emphasising the importance of public awareness in reducing plastic waste.
“This initiative is a simple but powerful advocacy tool that can help reduce plastic pollution and encourage cleaner waterways,” he said.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the one-week project, running from April 26 to May 2, is a collaboration between LASEPA, Iranti Press, and A Whitespace Creative Arts Foundation.
The initiative is expected to boost environmental consciousness, promote sustainable interaction with water bodies, and reinforce Lagos State’s broader climate action and blue economy strategies.
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