…Launches Yasunize and Ogonize Social Media Campaign
By Tracy Ohovwere
The Environmental Rights Group, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), has cautioned that the forthcoming Conference of Parties (COP30) in Brazil may turn out to be another global jamboree without genuine commitments from governments and international oil companies to end fossil fuel emissions and ensure ecological remediation.
The Executive Director of HOMEF, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, gave the warning during the launch of the Yasunize and Ogonize social media campaign held as part of the HOMEF Climate Justice Assembly in Benin City.
The event drew participation from environmental activists, academics, civil society groups, community-based organizations, and representatives of oil-bearing communities, including Gelegele in Edo State and Ogoni in Rivers State.
Dr. Bassey decried the persistent environmental degradation caused by irresponsible fossil fuel exploitation, noting that local communities have borne the brunt of its devastating impacts. He urged the affected communities to rise in defense of their environment and demand accountability from polluters.
Also speaking, a former Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Osagie Obayuwana, condemned the continued destruction of the environment in the name of profit, describing it as “foolish and short-sighted.”
Obayuwana called for collective action for climate justice to put an end to the destruction of the environment and restore the wellbeing of oil production communities.
n his presentation, Cadmus Atake-Enade, HOMEF’s Project Officer on Fossil Politics, emphasized that the Niger Delta region demands full environmental justice and cleanup after years of harm caused by oil pollution. He called for accountability from oil companies, full remediation plans, and better pipeline strategies, among other demands.
Etake-Enade stressed that climate justice recognizes the vulnerability of communities, promotes equity and fairness, and advocates for reparations for affected communities. He emphasized the importance of involving communities in decision-making processes affecting their environment and protecting the rights of future generations.
The Climate Justice Assembly featured presentations on Understanding Niger Delta Alternatives Convergence Manifesto and Nigeria Socio-Ecological Alternatives Convergence Charters, Climate Justice: Centering Communities’ Voices and Building Consensus for Alternatives, and Gender, Climate Change and Community Mobilization, among others.
