In Promoting Environmental Sustainability, EET Foundation Celebrates World Environment Day

Reported by Ayooluwa Afolabi

The Eleven Eleven Twelve Foundation (EETF), a Nigeria nonprofit organization, has joined the world in observing World Environment Day by hosting a one-day symposium.

EETF is an Independent Private Nigerian NGO committed to improving the overall quality of our environment by supporting enterprise development in Nigeria\'s Environmental and Agricultural sectors in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The symposium held at American Corner, Jericho, Ibadan, on Wednesday, focused on the theme: \"Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience,\" aligning the event with the global focus of World Environment Day, showing the shared commitment to addressing environmental challenges on both local and international levels.

In his opening address, The Chairman of EETF, Mr Adetunji Lam-Adeshina, stated that our planet needs our immediate action and effort to restore the environment, even though Africa contributes the least to climate change.

“Like we do every year, we are marking the World Environment Day. As it is right now, the world is in a state of distress because the environment is sick. Africa is the least continent that contributes to the issues of climate change and it takes all of us to get the environment back to its original state. So, our planet needs help, it takes our effort, it takes our action to help it out,\" he noted.

“This event is organized to educate the youth on the need to care for the environment and know the importance of climate change,” Adetunji concluded.

The keynote speaker, Professor Grace Olukoyi, Dean, of Urban and Regional Planning, at Leadcity University, noted that humans are major contributors to environmental damage.

Prof. Olukoyi highlighted that natural resources like Lake Chad, Kilimanjaro, and Eleyele Reservoir have low precipitable water unit levels having decreased by a major percentage due to human damaging effects on the environment like overgrazing, use of pesticides, plastic pollution, and overharvesting.

She added that despite the several laid down policies on environmental protection, we as humans must have the capacity to see them through with the aid of the media, organizations like EETF, government stakeholders, researchers, local actions through community engagement, and more people to be environmental stewards.

Mr. Toyin Durotimi, a Representative of the National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), in his speech, highlighted the mission, vision, and mandate of NESREA in the ecosystem of Nigeria. Adding that, the role of NESREA in Land restoration within the structure of desertification and drought resilience is to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment for Nigerians.

Professor Ambrose Ayelari, from the Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan reiterated similar concerns expressed by the keynote speakers, emphasizing the need to teach young people about agriculture and environmental sustainability and offering solutions like afforestation for land restoration and desertification.

“Today our focus is on the youth because we need them more than ever. The future belongs to them, we need to carry them along and catch them young so we can instil the culture of helping and giving back to the environment.”

Mrs Helen Chatburn-Ojehomon, Deputy Head, Ibadan International School, and students from Ibadan International School, Vale College were also present at the event.