CODE Announces Winners of Ewah Eleri Climate Justice Fellowship
- The Ewah Eleri Climate Justice Fellowship, an initiative established to foster the preservation of mother earth has officially kicked-off
- A non-governmental and non-profit organisation, Connected Development will be sponsoring the selected winners to Egypt for a convention on climate change
- Connected Development has been at the forefront of expanding the conversation on climate issues in Nigeria
PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed!
FCT, Abuja - Leading civil society organisation, Connected Development (CODE) on Tuesday, November 1 announced the winners of the 2022 Ewah Eleri Climate Justice Fellowship.
The winners who were announced during a press conference will attend the 27th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC) commencing on Sunday, November 6, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
Source: Twitter
Ewah Eleri, Executive Director, at the International Centre for Energy, Environment & Development (ICEED), expressed appreciation to Hamzat Lawal, founder and Chief Executive Officer of CODE, who instituted the Fellowship in his honour.
Eleri, who disclosed that it was against his personal principle to receive public honours, said he changed his mind and accepted this particular one because of its significance towards addressing the ecological challenges bedeviling the entire globe.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!
He, therefore, urged the new fellows to see their nomination as a big privilege to serve and help modify the climate crisis into new socio-economic opportunities.
He said:
“Our country is going through an unprecedented climate crises, with 30 states submerged under water, loss of lives and livelihoods. We must act for climate. I am very proud of the legacy Hamzat Lawal is building.”
On his part, Lawal, said that his organisation launched the programme to enable climate justice campaigners in Nigeria to expand their networks beyond the country.
He added that it is also expected to serve as an avenue for the nominees to gain hands-on experience during the UN climate negotiation.
The experience, according to him, will help spur the champions to initiate and carry out activities that promote climate change mitigation and adaptation.
He hinted that CODE, in collaboration with Oxfam, is leading a campaign in the Niger Delta region to sensitise the public on how to enhance transparency and accountability in engaging with oil and gas companies to tackle the unprecedented environmental devastation and injustice that is ongoing in the area.
He added:
“Most young people with potentials lack the needed opportunities. Ewah Eleri gave me that as a young man, guided me and imbibed the culture of service to humanity in me. Today we launch this fellowship to honor a true godfather and to raise more young people.”
The winners of the maiden edition are Gift Olivia Samuel-Nwokike, a journalist with The SightNews.
Etta Michael Bisong, a journalist and sustainable development campaigner with Enviro News Nigeria, Gregory Odogwu, an environmental columnist with Punch newspaper; Idowu Esuku, a climate change musician; as well as Hyeladzira Mshelia, a climate advocate and CODE’s programmes associate.
Nigerian states, households battle with massive flood
Recall that in recent weeks, floods have taken over major states in Nigeria, displacing homeowners and businesses.
The impact so far has been devastating and many have in recent days been rendered homeless in states like Edo, Delta, Taraba, Anambra, Kogi states and more.
Farmlands have also been affected by the unfortunate development, which experts say would affect the cost price of produce in the coming months.
Nigeria floods kill 500, displace 1.4 million people
Meanwhile, about 500 people have died in Nigeria's worst floods in a decade and 1.4 million others been displaced from their homes since the start of the rainy season, the government said.
Similarly, 45,249 houses were totally damaged while 70,566 hectares of farmlands were completely destroyed.
Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, a spokesperson in the ministry of humanitarian affairs and disaster management, made this known in a statement.
Source: Legit.ng
