Activists Seek New Indigenous Model to Tackle Ogoni Environmental Crisis

Environmental activists and stakeholders gathered in Port Harcourt to advocate for a new approach to environmental protection in the Niger Delta. The event, known as the "Wisdom Gathering," organized by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, aimed to explore alternative methods and emphasize indigenous knowledge, local languages, and collective action as crucial elements in tackling the ecological crisis.

The day's highlight was the unveiling of the MEEDECOR Ecological Knowledge Centre, which serves as a platform for shifting mindsets, preserving knowledge, and generating data to deepen understanding of the Ogoni environmental struggle. The centre's establishment was inspired by the legacy of the late Ogoni activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and called upon the younger generation to continue his fight for environmental justice.

Executive Director of HOMEF, Rev Nnimmo Bassey, emphasized the need for a fundamental change in the mindset of communities to empower them to take greater responsibility for protecting their environment. He highlighted poor leadership as a major obstacle to effective environmental protection in Nigeria and urged stakeholders to question existing approaches that have failed to adequately safeguard communities affected by environmental degradation.

Celestine Akpobari, Coordinator of the MEEDECOR Ecological Knowledge Centre, stressed that genuine change requires more than policies and technical interventions. He stressed the importance of equipping communities with knowledge and confidence to meaningfully participate in decisions affecting their environment and livelihoods.

The gathering also examined the significance of indigenous languages in socio-ecological justice, with Chief Magnus Edoo, Executive Director of Indigenous Language Cultural Empowerment and Foundation, advocating for greater use of local languages in environmental advocacy. Edoo proposed that memoranda of understanding (MOUs) between communities and oil companies, as well as environmental impact assessments (EIAs), should be translated into indigenous languages for better transparency, community understanding, and participation.