The multiplicity of environmental challenges confronting Nigeria, which continue to fuel socio economic crises such as worsening insecurity, poverty and homelessness, requires urgent and holistic action by all stakeholders, with religious leaders playing a critical role.
This call was made on Friday, 30 January 2026, by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, while delivering the 24th Chief S. L. Edu Memorial Lecture in Lagos.
The annual lecture is a flagship initiative of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation NCF, supported by partners including Chevron, and is aimed at raising public awareness on contemporary environmental concerns while promoting practical and sustainable solutions.
Speaking on the theme, “To Have and to Hold: Faith and Care of the Environment,” Bishop Kukah said the earth was entrusted to humanity by God for safekeeping, not for destruction through pollution, reckless exploitation and environmental abuse.
He lamented Nigeria’s weak environmental culture, which he said has encouraged unrestrained exploitation of natural resources without adequate regard for preservation. The Bishop also criticised poor enforcement of environmental laws and accused some foreign interests of prioritising resource extraction in Africa with little concern for the attendant environmental, health and socio economic consequences.
In a lecture that drew sustained applause, Kukah linked persistent conflicts in Africa to the exploitation of natural resources, warning against a system in which a privileged few benefit while the majority bear the burden of environmental degradation.
“The theme of this lecture is to speak to men and women of faith to understand that the earth creation has been given to us by God in custody and in trust,” he said. “Protection and preservation of the environment are part of the mandate of our humanity because God made us co creators with Him.”
He stressed that human existence, livelihoods and comfort are inseparable from the environment, noting that reckless mining, oil drilling and other extractive activities contradict divine intent and amount to ecological injustice.
“Whatever God has given us was not meant for a particular class politicians, businessmen or political parties. It has been given for the welfare of every citizen. Our responsibility is to distribute these resources equitably and efficiently so that no one in a richly endowed country like Nigeria goes to bed hungry,” Kukah added.
He further observed that environmental problems do not occur in isolation, describing unchecked mining without restitution as a sin against future generations. He urged Nigerians to see themselves not as spectators, but as custodians with a moral obligation to protect ecosystems and livelihoods, particularly in the face of flooding, desertification, climate change and species extinction.
The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace Adewale Martins, who was the Special Guest of Honour, also underscored the urgency of decisive environmental action. He commended the NCF and the family of the late Chief S. L. Edu for sustaining the memorial lecture series.
“This is a time for us to be sorry for our cruelty against the earth and to change our ways. Care for the earth is not optional; it is mandatory,” Archbishop Martins said, noting that the Catholic Church has long prioritised environmental sustainability through dedicated groups and initiatives.
In her welcome address, the Chairman of the NCF National Executive Council NEC, Justice Bukola Adebiyi, expressed appreciation for the large turnout and thanked the Guest Lecturer, Archbishop Martins and other dignitaries for their presence.
Speaking on behalf of the NCF President, Chief Philip Asiodu, she said the theme of the lecture was timely, given the scale of Nigeria’s environmental challenges and the critical need for action, especially from faith communities. She described the memorial lecture as a vital awareness platform and reminded the public that conservation is a shared responsibility, not the government’s alone.
Justice Adebiyi paid tribute to the late Chief S. L. Edu, founder of the NCF, and appreciated Chevron for sponsoring the lecture since its inception, as well as for supporting several other NCF programmes and projects.
The event, which attracted NCF NEC members, students from secondary and tertiary institutions in Lagos, members of the Catholic Women Organisation, Muslim groups and other stakeholders, also featured the award of research grants to two PhD students, Arikpo Okoi Eteng and Ezekiel Temitayo Adedeji, and the presentation of a plaque to Bishop Kukah.
