Civil society organizations in Rivers State have called for environmental policies that address the realities of communities whose livelihoods have been destroyed by pollution and ecological degradation.
The groups, including the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Indigenous Language Cultural Empowerment Foundation and Miideekor Development Initiative, made the call on Sunday at a forum in Kanni Community, Gokana Local Government Area.
The forum, themed “Rethinking Climate Change, Food Systems Solutions,” focused on the impact of environmental degradation on farms, fishing grounds, forests and water sources across Niger Delta communities.
Speaking at the event, HOMEF Executive Director Dr Nnimmo Bassey said that indigenous knowledge, traditional values and community-led initiatives could help address climate change, food insecurity and environmental degradation.
Bassey said indigenous languages, cultures and traditional practices offered valuable lessons for tackling contemporary environmental challenges.
He urged Nigerians, particularly young people, to preserve traditional practices that promote good health, environmental protection and community wellbeing.
“Nigerians, particularly young people, need to learn from the past and retain traditional practices that promote good health, environmental protection and community wellbeing.
“We are not going to take everything from the past to the future, but we will preserve excellent things, like the way our people lived and what gave them good health,” he said.
According to Bassey, traditional communities were guided by values such as honesty, integrity, cooperation, solidarity and respect for nature, which remain relevant to the climate and food crises confronting the region.
He attributed the climate crisis in the Niger Delta to the destruction of natural systems that support food production, livelihoods and human health.
Bassey questioned the poor quality of life in oil-producing communities despite the vast resources extracted from the region.
“Why is 41 years the life expectancy in the Niger Delta?
“Why are our women going into menopause before the age of 30?
“These are the real questions that must be asked. If your environment is sick, you cannot claim to be healthy,” he said.
He also expressed concern over residents’ continued dependence on polluted water, describing it as evidence of the severity of environmental degradation in the region.
The Executive Director of the Indigenous Language Cultural Empowerment Foundation, Chief Magnus Edoo, called for greater use of indigenous languages in environmental decision-making.
Edoo, who delivered the keynote address, said communities could not meaningfully participate in environmental processes when critical information was communicated in unfamiliar languages.
He called for indigenous languages to be used during Environmental Impact Assessments, community consultations and agreements between oil companies and host communities.
“Oil companies should communicate the terms and implications of their activities in languages understood by host communities,” he said.
Edoo also urged the government to strengthen indigenous language teaching in schools, warning that language loss could weaken cultural identity.
Earlier, the Team Lead of Miideekor Development Initiative, Dr Celestine Akpobari, said Niger Delta communities could play a significant role in restoring degraded ecosystems.
Akpobari cited the Ogoni struggle against oil exploitation, noting that some areas recorded signs of natural recovery after oil companies withdrew in 1993.
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He said mangroves returned, while fish and other biodiversity reappeared after destructive activities stopped.
Akpobari called for greater community participation in ecological restoration, stressing that oil-producing communities could play central roles if supported with appropriate policies and resources.
