Emeka Obasi, a 21-year-old climate change activist has written to President Muhammadu Buhari demanding more action against the menace of climate change.
Obasi, who is also the founder of Our Tomorrow Endowment, a pan African climate advocacy NGO, while commending Buhari’s commitment to tackling the challenge of climate change in the country and on the continent, encouraged the Nigerian leader to step up efforts by coordinating continental response against the challenge.
“Climate change and environmental pollution are matters I care strongly about, because I am aware of the danger they pose, particularly to our continent’s survival. April 22 was Earth day and the theme was ‘Invest in our planet. I have resolved to invest my time and contribute my quota to raise awareness about the impending dangers of climate change and environmental pollution,” He said.
The Nigerian-born student in the United Kingdom also said that while on a visit to Nigeria in January, he visited a number of communities that are already bearing the brunt of the environmental crisis. “Mr. President, it was an unpleasant experience.”
“In Ogoni in Rivers State for example, the environment has been degraded by oil spills; farmlands have been destroyed and water bodies polluted,”
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“In the Port Harcourt metropolis, black soot has become a terrifying fact of life. The people of the region complained bitterly because their means of livelihood, which revolves around fishing and farming, has been destroyed. The situation is similar in most parts of the state and indeed the entire Niger Delta region,” He further noted.
Obasi also witnessed the threat that rising sea levels pose to inhabitants of the coastal areas of Lagos, and equally got acquainted with the devastating impact desertification is already having in the northern parts of the country.
The United Nations Children’s Fund projects that as many as 20 million people in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia will need water and food assistance in the next six months.
At the moment, nearly 5.5 million children in these four countries are threatened by acute malnutrition and an estimated 1.4 million children by severe acute malnutrition.
“The experience I had interacting with impacted communities made me commit to doubling my effort towards creating awareness around these issues. I held a press conference at UNILAG and engaged youths in the Lagos area to inform them of the issues and encourage them to be conscious of the environment,” He concluded.
