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HOMEF’s School of Ecology Empowers Young Activists with Environmental Knowledge

Published

3 months ago

March 29, 2025

The Executive Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, expressed his organization’s commitment to nurturing young activists through its School of Ecology.

The initiative aims to equip these activists with a deep understanding of the environmental challenges facing society today.

Speaking at the closing session of the March series of the School of Ecology, themed “Ecology Justice and Resilience,” which took place from March 24 to 28 in Benin, Bassey emphasized the importance of educating young people about environmental issues.

“The idea behind the School of Ecology is to cultivate a group of activists who possess real knowledge about the challenges confronting us and our environment.

“We are dedicating time to teach not only the issues but also the underlying reasons for these challenges,” he stated.

Bassey highlighted the significance of understanding the root causes of environmental crises, asserting that this knowledge empowers individuals to address the manifestations of these problems effectively.

“In this series, we focused on building resilience, enhancing community capacity, and fostering the strength needed to tackle these issues,” he added.

During the training, Bassey introduced the concept of ‘Eti-Uwem,’ an Ibio phrase meaning “good life,” which advocates for a harmonious relationship among individuals and with the environment.

“Eti-Uwem is a concept we have been sharing for some time, and we want to continue promoting it. When people embrace this idea, it positively influences their relationship with the environment,” he explained.

Babawale Obayanju, who taught the sub-topic “Uniting Our Common Struggle,” emphasized the necessity of collaboration in activism.

“We can’t live in isolation; no man is an island. In the face of oppression, working solo increases the risk of being overwhelmed. We must unite in our common struggle, as climate justice is intertwined with social justice,” he stated.

Cadmus Atake-Enade, who discussed “Radical Socio-Economic Transformation through Culture,” urged stakeholders to collaborate in promoting policies that empower cultural industries while protecting natural resources.

“By doing so, we ensure that economic transformation is not only radical but also deeply rooted in the values, identity, heritage, and ecological well-being of the communities it aims to uplift,” he said.

Participants expressed their gratitude for the training, which spanned five days.

Mbalisi Onyeka Festus, a Professor of Environmental Education at the University of Port Harcourt, remarked, “I have learned valuable insights that will contribute to environmental justice.”

Praise Omu, a lecturer in Environmental Management at Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Amassoma, Bayelsa State noted, “We were inspired to take informed actions and recognize that everything on earth, both living and non-living, has rights that deserve respect.”

Evelyn Eyo from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, thanked HOMEF for the enlightening training and pledged to share her newfound knowledge with others.

“The school has opened my mind to many misconceptions. I will return to my organization and conduct programme to educate the younger generation about the impacts of environmental pollution,” she promised.

The five-day training attracted participants from northern Nigeria and the South-South geopolitical zone, culminating in the issuance of certificates to all attendees.

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Hope Rises As Ijaw Nation Wades Into Okomu Crisis

Published

11 hours ago

June 13, 2025

Editor

Photo: File copy

There seems to be solution at sight to the crisis bedeviling Okomu community in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State following the setting up of Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee by prominent Ijaw monarchs drawn from Edo, Ondo, Delta and Bayelsa states.

The setting up of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee by the Ijaw kings followed a request by His Royal Majesty, Pius Yanbor, the Pere (king) of Okomu Kingdom to his Ijaw brothers peres (king), appealing to them to intervene in the crisis that had led to the burning of houses and loss of lives.

Worried by the crisis and the consequent appeal by HRM Pius Yanbor, the Ijaw peres (kings), namely, HRM, Oboro Gbaraun II, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State; HRM, Zacheus Egbunu, the Agadagba of Arogbo Kingdom, Ondo State; HRM, Capt. Frank Okiakpe, the Pere of Gbaraun Kingdom, Bayelsa State; HRM, Joel Ibane, the Pere of Iduwini Kingdom, Delta State; HRM, Godwin Ogunoyibo, the Pere of Olodiama Kingdom, Edo State; HRM, Eseimokumor Ogonikara I, the Pere of Tubutoru Kingdom, Ondo State; HRM, Roman Bohan, the Pere of Furupagha Kingdom, Edo State, and HRM Stephen Ebikeme, the Pere of Oporomor Kingdom, Bayelsa State, in an acceptance memo of the Okomu king’s request which was made available to INFO DAILY stated: “We, the undersigned traditional rulers of Ijaw extraction, have unanimously aligned in agreement to take a deep dive into the crisis that has been rocking and bedeviling Okomu Kingdom for the past three years, with a view to providing respite and bringing lasting peace to the aforementioned kingdom.”

They continued: “This alignment however, is a fallout of a series of robust engagement amongst well-meaning and revered monarchs of Ijaw extraction, whose primary role in their various Kingdoms is to foster peace and unity.”

The Ijaw monarchs, thereafter, appointed Chief Sunday as the Chairman of the Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, High Chief Pascal Akpofagha as the General Secretary and 16 other notable Ijaw sons from various kingdoms as members.

The 18-member committee is saddled with the responsibility of interfacing with the warring parties in the kingdom with a view to restoring lasting peace to the kingdom.

The revered Ijaw monarchs further expressed their commitment to providing the necessary support and work with the committee within the ambit of the law in order to ensure peace and harmony return to Okomu Kingdom.

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UN Flags 138 Million Kids In Global Child Labour Crisis

Published

14 hours ago

June 12, 2025

Editor

Ahead of World Day Against Child Labour, a report released on Wednesday by the International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Children’s Fund has shown that nearly 138 million children were engaged in child labour in 2024.

The figure included 54 million engaged in hazardous work that endangered their health, safety, and development.

“Today, nearly 138 million children are in child labour worldwide, down from 160 million four years ago.

“There are over 100 million fewer children in child labour today than in 2000, even as the child population increased by 230 million over the same period,” the report stated

World Day Against Child Labour is marked on June 12 every year and International Day of Play is marked on June 11.

The report revealed that while child labour had declined by more than 20 million since 2020, the world had missed its target of ending child labour by 2025.

It noted that since 2000, child labour had almost halved, yet current rates remained too slow.

To end child labour within the next five years, the report said the current rates of progress would need to be 11 times faster.

“While the elimination of child labour remains an unfinished task, there is some welcome news.

“After a concerning rise in child labour captured by the global estimates for 2020, a feared further deterioration in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has not materialised, and the world has succeeded in returning to a path of progress.

“This success can be attributed to some well-known policy imperatives that, if sustained and scaled-up, could bring about an end to child labour,” the report stated.

It highlighted that the policies included ensuring free and high-quality schooling to provide a worthwhile alternative to child labour and help ensure successful transitions from school to decent work.

Others were equipping education systems to support the school-to-work transition, particularly for older adolescents who face heightened occupational safety and health risks in the labour market; strengthening legal protections against child labour, aligned with international standards to lay the groundwork for effective prevention and enforcement, among others.

The report also said targeted policies to end child labour must go hand in hand with broader development strategies.

“And to be fully effective, child labour concerns must be systematically mainstreamed into economic and social policy planning – from macroeconomic frameworks to labour market reforms and sectoral strategies.

“The latest estimates underscore the magnitude of the challenge of ending child labour. They also point to progress, and in doing so, affirm the possibilities.

“We have the blueprint for success – the right policies, adequate resources and unwavering commitment. Now is the time to act to free future generations from child labour,” it added.

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Journalists’ Cooperative Society Announces Formal Take-off

Published

14 hours ago

June 12, 2025

Editor

The Innovative Media Partners Cooperative Multipurpose Society has announced its formal take-off.

The President of IMPCMS and Publisher of The Eagle Online, Dotun Oladipo, made the announcement in a statement issued on Wednesday.

According to Oladipo, the formal commencement of activities followed the completion of all registration formalities and opening of a bank account.

The statement added that this also followed the approval of the Executive Committee of the IMPCMS, which now has the full compliments of members.

Apart from Oladipo, other members of the Executive Committee include Ugomma Cookey, a member of the Board of the Media Career Development Network, as Vice President; Nkanu Egbe, Publisher of Lagos Metropolitan, as General Secretary; Ijeoma Popoola, Editor with the News Agency of Nigeria, Financial Secretary; and Dolapo Otegbayi, a prominent media and marketing consultant, as Treasurer.

The Ex-Officio Members are media trainer, Taiwo Obe; and Founder and Chief Executive Officer of WVL Development Advisers Limited and former Acting Managing Director/CEO of Bank of Industry, Dr. Waheed Olagunju.

To join the cooperative society, which is for practicing journalists and media professionals, would-be members are expected to fill a form, which can be obtained at the secretariat at 1, James Robertson Street, Surulere, Lagos.

For the electronic version of the form, the statement said a WhatsApp message can be sent to: 08023204836, or email to: nkanu.egbe@gmail.com.

The cost of membership was put at N10,000, which is payable into the cooperative society’s account with the United Bank for Africa: Innovative Media Partner Surulere Multipurpose Cooperative Society, with account number 1028258688.

Among the early financial members of the society are the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and Editor of Vanguard Newspaper, Eze Anaba; seasoned broadcaster, Anike-ade Funke Treasure; eminent journalist, Dr. Hope Orivri; Publishers of Oriental News, Chika Izuora and Yemisi Izuora; and Dayo Ojo.

All members of the Executive Committee of the IMPCMS have also become financial members.

The society was formed as a fallout of the Second Nigerian Media Leaders’ Summit held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, in 2024, and organised by The Journalism Clinic, founded by Obe.