Nigerian Conservation Foundation pays tribute to Prince Philip

The Board of Trustees, National Executive Council and Management of Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has joined millions of people across the world to commiserate with the Queen and the Royal Family of England on the passing away of Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, on Friday, 9th April 2021 at the age of 99.

According to a statement from the Foundation, Prince Philip was a friend to the late S.L. Edu, the founder of NCF. As then President of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), he supported Chief Edu in establishing the NCF and continued to give his support to the organization until it became fully-fledged.

“At the instance of NCF, Prince Philip has visited Nigeria on a number of occasions and thereby bringing to global prominence some of Nigeria’s rich natural heritage,” the organisation said.

According to the organisation, Prince Phillip was instrumental to the international recognition that the Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands first received.

The Hadejia-Nguru wetlands in Yobe State in northern Nigeria, which include Nguru Lake, are ecologically and economically important but are threatened by reduced rainfall in recent years, a growing population and upstream dam construction.

The area supports about 1.5 million farmers, herders and fishermen. The wetlands support wet-season rice farming, flood-recession agriculture and dry-season farming using irrigation and provide fuelwood and leaves used for making mats and ropes. The lands are also grazed by Fulani cattle.

This wetlands area is now officially recognized by the United Nations amongst the Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar site) and is part of the Nigerian National Parks System.

On 18th February 1989, Prince Phillip laid the Foundation stone of the Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC), which was jointly developed by NCF and Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL). He also commissioned the Centre after its completion.

“We join the rest of the global community of environmentalists in mourning the loss of such an audacious voice for nature and one of the pioneer wildlife conservationists. His death has no doubt left a big vacuum in the Nature conservation arena that is difficult to fill. But his
legacies live on,” the group said.

Prince Phillip was buried on Saturday was laid to rest Saturday after a funeral service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. His send-off was conducted in a highly unusual atmosphere in part because coronavirus restrictions meant the ceremony had to be scaled back, but also because it comes just after a very public airing of a family rift.