The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Ewuare II, has tasked stakeholders, including governments and traditional rulers to walk the talk on climate change and focus their energies for result.
The monarch made the call on Sunday at the Palace of Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai Al-Amin Elkanemi where he paid a visit to sympathise with him and the victims of recent flood which ravaged Maiduguri and its environs.
“As traditional rulers, we must advocate for policies and practices that do not only promote our people, but also safeguard their environments”, he said.
He added that “climate change and environmental degradation are realities that we can no longer afford to ignore”.
Oba Ewuare, in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Osaigbovo Oguobaro, prayed God and his forebears to protect the survivors of the disaster and comfort them.
Expressing his sympathy to displaced persons, including those who lost their livelihoods in the disaster, the Benin monarch, pledged his support to the people and government of Borno State while commending the Shehu of Borno for showing resilience.
“Edo people from the heart of Benin Kingdom send their thoughts and prayers to the people of Borno State. Our hearts are with the families who lost their loved ones.
“We also empathise with those who lost their homes and livelihoods to in the disaster,” Oba Ewuare II said.
Responding, the Shehu of Borno, on behalf his people and the Borno Emirate, thanked Oba Ewuare II for the solidarity visit and presented copies of his books to the first class traditional ruler.
Elkanemi commended the rescue efforts by stakeholders in the disaster management and humanitarian agencies efforts, going down the memory lane on how insurgency has impacted the well-being of Nigerians in the area.
The collapse of Alau Dam in Maiduguri on 10th September led to a devastating flooding incident in Maiduguri and its environs, sacking several communities and resulting in humanitarian crisis.
