He called on governments, corporations, and international bodies to uphold justice, equity, and sustainability in climate policies, adding:
By Godwin Oritse
Indigenous communities affected by environmental degradation have launched a movement to combat environmental injustice and protect their lands from further harm.
At a recent summit themed “Addressing Environmental Impact of Oil & Gas Extraction on Local Communities in Nigeria’s Niger Delta Region,” held in Ori-Oke Iwamimo, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, participants gathered to demand climate justice, accountability, and a just energy transition. The event was organized by Connected Advocacy, a non-governmental organization.
Executive Director of Connected Advocacy, Mr Israel Orekha, described the summit as a significant step toward understanding the environmental crisis, harnessing indigenous knowledge, and developing actionable strategies for climate resilience and sustainable development.
“Our communities are now united in a shared commitment to environmental justice,” Orekha stated. “We demand urgent and transformative action to address the climate crisis and its devastating effects on Indigenous and marginalised populations, especially in regions impacted by fossil fuel extraction, like the Niger Delta.”
He called on governments, corporations, and international bodies to uphold justice, equity, and sustainability in climate policies, adding:
“We stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples whose ancestral lands have been ravaged by the greed of extractive industries. Our voices, experiences, and traditional knowledge must guide any solution to the climate crisis.
We demand that governments and corporations be held accountable for environmental damage and social harm. Harmful practices such as gas flaring, oil spills, and deforestation must stop immediately. Corporations must also be legally obligated to compensate affected communities and restore damaged environments.”
His Royal Highness, Oba Jabez Alebiosu Ikudeibu JP (Oba Alaafia II), the traditional ruler of the host community, praised the organisers for their advocacy efforts. He called for continued and urgent interventions to save Ori-Oke Iwamimo from worsening environmental degradation.
Also speaking at the summit, Dr Felix Ikuesan, a lecturer at Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), emphasized the importance of government-funded embankment projects in coastal communities, noting that such initiatives would support sustainable development and help mitigate the effects of sea incursion.
In a presentation titled “Understanding the Crisis: Environmental Impacts of Oil and Gas Extraction in Local Communities”, Dr Olutomisin Orogbemi used Ilaje Local Government Area as a case study and urged residents to adopt more environmentally conscious lifestyles. He stressed that local human activity also contributes significantly to the region’s ecological challenges.
Mr Ogunyemi Olorunwa Yeto, the community youth leader, called for stronger resistance against sea encroachment and destructive activities by oil and gas companies.
“The government must act now before our community is completely overtaken by water,” he warned.
“If urgent steps are not taken to address these issues, by 2060, our community could be entirely submerged.”
The summit ended with a renewed call for accountability, climate resilience, and the protection of Nigeria’s vulnerable coastal communities.