Editor
By Fatima Saka
Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, Director, Center for Climate Change and Development, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ebonyi State, has urged the young climate activists in Enugu to aspire to be champions in their field of advocacy.
Okereke, who is an Awardee of the International Visitors Leadership (IVLP) Award, gave the advice at the IVLP Impact Award in Enugu.
Newsmen reports that 30 participants, including nine female activists took part in the competition leading to the award.
Tagged Impacts of the Urban Greening Training, Education and Advocacy .
Okereke reminded the participants of the huge media coverage of the just concluded COP28 in Dubai, especially on the issues of fossil fuels and emissions
“I hope that you will continue to be leaders in this space, deepen your activities to go further and higher and become superstars on urban greening and climate change based on the kind of exposures and motivations you have derived from the training
“I see a lot of African voices that are been promoted by the global media to become champions in their space and they don’t have two heads, ” Okereke said.
He noted that the interactive teaching sessions the participants had been exposed to gave them the opportunity to prepare their own campaign plans; to show that they know what it takes to campaign for climate advocacy and the things they need to think through when they want to make their campaign decisions.
“What I really want to see is that you have thought about an issue; why it is important to campaign, Okereke added.
Also speaking Ogechi Nkonye, Executive Director, Eco-cyclers remarked that the topic for the project Urban Spaces and greening had been an eye opener for everyone.
“When we started this project, we were not expecting the type of momentum and commitment by young people from Enugu applying
“At first. We had to choose about 15 persons from those who applied, but because of the magnanimity of Okereke, we had to increase it to 30.
“The programme was very successful, it was not just a talking shop but we had some practical aspect of it by bringing an expert from the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus to help us to test the quality of Air from two different locations in Enugu.
“We planted about 35 trees in Enugu Metropolis; we also took it further, ” Nkonye said.
She said that through the project, a community of young climate change agents were formed.
She added that the community looked forward to a state wide tree planting exercise to combat deforestation in Enugu metropolis.
She expressed gratitude to the US Department of States that gave the award to Okereke and also to Okereke himself for his passion in raising young climate change activists, not just for Nigeria, but also for Africa.
Newsmen reports that the participants were grouped into three groups, A, B and C, with group B emerging as the winner, followed by A.
Group B wrote it’s proposal on “Community Tree Planting and Fight Against Deforestation: Sustainable Solutions for a Greener Future
In announcing the winner, Okereke said:
“The winner goes to Group B because they have the clarity of objectives; they want to plant 2000 trees in Enugu state.”
It would also be recalled that the participants underwent a few days training in August earlier, on Urban Spaces and Greening in Enugu which build their capacity to present their pitch on climate advocacy.
The event was put forward by Okereke in partnership with the Society for Planet and Prosperity, the Center for Climate Change and Development and Eco-Cyclers.
