By Sunmola Jemilat Oluwabunmi (SIWES student, AAPOLY)
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) emphasizes the importance of involving youths and students in environmental protection efforts.
By introducing environmental concepts early on, the NCF aims to inspire students to consider environmentally focused career paths from their secondary school years.
During the 2023 NCF annual Art and Essay Competition, Mrs. Adedamola Ogutuga revealed the foundation’s commitment to catching young minds, providing students with firsthand experiences at places like Olumo Rock and the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library zoo.
The competition, spanning both art and essay categories, seeks to cultivate a positive environmental mindset among students nationwide.
Participants delved into critical environmental issues such as deforestation, plastic pollution, and improper waste disposal, proposing thoughtful solutions.
Mrs. Ogutuga highlighted schools actively practicing waste sorting and transforming waste into viable products, contributing to waste reduction and climate change mitigation.
With the theme Ecosystem Restoration, aligning with the United Nations’ global focus for the decade 2020-2030, the competition attracted over 1,000 entries from 30 states.
Fifteen winners emerged from primary and secondary categories, representing Lagos, Oyo, Cross Rivers, Calabar, and Abuja.
