Environmental awareness and education is key to achieving a sustainable environment, Oluwaseyi Ebenezer

Interesting interview with Oluwaseyi Ebenezer

What is your background briefly?

I am a lawyer by profession. After law school, I joined a law firm and practised for some years. I later proceeded to University of Cape Town, South Africa where I got a master’s degree in Environmental law. On my return to Nigeria after my post graduate studies, I knew I must do more to help in the protection of our environment and that was what birthed Triple G Eco Revival Solutions Ltd.

Also, I am a gender advocate with a strong passion for the right of vulnerable women and children. Last month, I launched a non-profit organization called Triple Green Environmental Development Foundation to help and empower vulnerable women and children living in the local communities that are prone to environmental pollution, degradation and deforestation in Nigeria.

Does it seem like a logical background to what you do now? 

Yes, it is. I have always been passionate about the environment and it has always been heart breaking for me to see how ignorantly people deal with their environment. Though the impacts of many of our actions are disastrous enough but local people’s destructive actions are seeds of ignorance.

Therefore, when the opportunity came for me to do my postgraduate studies, I was already sure about what I wanted to specialize on, which is environmental law. I knew then that specializing in environmental law will give me an avenue to contribute my quota towards the protection of our environment.

How was the last 12 months? 

The last 12 months involves fostering local collaboration with stakeholders to achieve a sustainable environment in my State. My team and I were able to identify that, for us to be able to reduce the environmental problems facing our locality and foster sustainable environment, collaboration and partnership with relevant stakeholders cannot be over emphasised. Therefore, we were able to partner with the relevant stakeholders and organise programs and project around sanitisation and environmental awareness in my locality.

What are your big wins?

One of my big wins is that the government of my State, Ekiti State Nigeria, decided to partner with us to consult for them on matters affecting the environment. They also collaborate with us on other critical issues that affects the environment.

Secondly, through our various programs and activities, we have been able to create awareness around environmental related issues.

1 min pitch for what you are doing now with Triple G Eco Revival Solutions Ltd?

Triple G Eco Revival Solutions Ltd was incorporated to raise environmental awareness and education. Our aim is to achieve a nationwide culture of environmental literacy and stewardship. We believe that environmental education encourages inquiry, investigation and development of skills that can create responsible decisions and actions that will impact the environment positively.

We are presently executing a project named “Clean up Ado”. The project is an environmental sensitization and a clean-up program targeted to be done across my State. It is aim at sensitizing and educating the public on how to dispose their waste properly and to stop open defecation. The culture of improper waste disposal and defecating in public places are inherent in the culture of the people living in my locality. And these have generated lots of environmental health hazards and death in the society.

Why did you get involved?

My involvement is from the passion I have for the environment. Also, during my post graduate studies in South Africa, I discovered that solving environmental problems involve a multifaceted approach and one key approach is the need for synergy between the government and the people. This approach is hugely missing in Nigeria. Most government policies on environment are poorly implemented because people don’t understand the need for such policies in the first place.

Our environmental awareness and education are to awaken the environmental consciousness in people and our collaboration with the government is to provide a synergy between the government and the people. This will lead to formation of workable policies and effective implementation of such policies.

Why do you think it is a powerful idea?

The idea of environmental sensitization and education is a great one because people need to understand that their activities can be hazardous to their health and impact the environment negatively. If we don’t act now by educating people to change their behavioural attitudes toward the environment, we will continue to experience health hazards, loss of life and massive destruction of property and farmland.

The idea is also a form of preventive measure which is cost effective especially for countries with low per capita income like Nigeria.

Nigeria is ranked one of the highest exporter of pangolins (bush meat). These animals are carriers of zoonotic diseases which are dangerous to humans. Sensitization of the public and policies must be out in place to stop the killing, eating and trading of bush meat in Nigeria. pic.twitter.com/1ZfmR8u49C

— Triple G Eco Revival Solutions (@triplegeco) April 5, 2020

How can people find out more about you personally and your work?

People can find out about me and what I do from the following social media handles.

Website: www.triplegeco.com

Twitter: @triplegeco, @seyiebenezer

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/triplegeco/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/oluwaseyi-ebenezer-986465145

You can also read about our work from https://www.independent.ng/waste-to-wealth-will-create-employment-for-youths-in-ekiti-group/

Who and where do you get inspiration from?

My strongest motivation is my 6 years old daughter. I strongly believe that I must try my best to leave a more friendly environment for the younger and future generation. They don’t have to be the ones to deal with the mess caused by us. It is our responsibility to leave behind an environment where they can strive and reach their highest potentials.

I get my inspiration from the various young people who are doing great and wonderful things especially young females who are out there and trying to make a change in their own little ways. It inspires me and makes me constantly challenge myself to want to do more in my society.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Yes. Being able to get more organisations on board to tackle the various environmental problems facing Nigeria and Africa will not only help the present generation but also the future generation. It has been established by the United Nation Sustainable Development Goal 17 that partnership and collaboration are important. Countries and organizations across the world need to come together to proffer solutions to the various environmental problems that are threatening our existence on earth. We do not have a planet B so everyone must play their part in the pursuit of a more friendly and sustainable environment.

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