Don’t Depend On Country For All Your Needs—First Lady

First lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday launched the Environment Club and Environment Society at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, urging young Nigerians to take charge of environmental sustainability.

The initiative, part of the government’s Renewed Hope Initiative in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Environment, aims to equip young Nigerians to become frontline champions for a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable Nigeria.

In attendance were the wives of state governors, principal officers of the National Assembly, the wife of the Chief of Staff to the President, service chiefs, top government officials, and other dignitaries. The wife of the vice president, Hajiya Nana Shettima, was also present.

Speaking at the event, the resident representative of the UNDP, Elsie Attafuah, described the launch as a movement to place young Nigerians at the forefront of national development, emphasising that the clubs would serve as innovation hubs for clean energy ideas, climate campaigns, and environmental protection initiatives. She also pledged full UNDP support to nurture creativity from the clubs.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abba Lawal, emphasised the importance of involving youth in environmental action, noting that clean environments are crucial to better health and that the initiative could have a profoundly positive impact on future generations. He also highlighted global environmental challenges, particularly the issue of plastic waste in maritime spaces.

The clubs, targeting secondary schools as clubs and tertiary institutions as societies, will focus on: Advocacy: Encouraging young people to influence their peers, Problem-solving: Addressing climate change and local environmental issues, such as blocked waterways, Research: Promoting initiatives like rain harvesting for dry season farming, Circular economy: Reducing waste through recycling.

Key objectives include advancing environmental awareness, promoting climate action, encouraging sustainable practices in schools, developing practical skills, supporting academic projects, and enhancing livelihood skills through waste-to-wealth initiatives.

The clubs’ structure places the President as Grand Patron, state governors as patrons, and the Minister of Environment as National Marshal. Local governments and schools will nominate students to participate, with logistics provided for outreach activities.

Partners in the initiative include UNICEF, UNIDO, and UNDP. The event featured a moving spoken word presentation on the environment by Esther Abraham of Government Secondary School Mabushi, which was praised by the First Lady. She also presented the handbook for the clubs to the ambassadors and decorated the Minister of Environment as the National Environment Marshal.

In her address, Senator Tinubu emphasised that young people are the ideal ambassadors for environmental sustainability, encouraging them to take the initiative. She urged them not to wait for the government to provide everything, saying: “Don’t depend on the country to give you what you need.”

She urged young Nigerians to lead clean-up exercises along shorelines, engage in advocacy, and champion climate awareness, emphasising that Nigeria must not be left behind in environmental action.