Robert Azibaola: Actioning Climatic Change Campaign Through Grassroots Mobilisation
He started life as an environmentalist cum human rights activist and the singular effort at development and preservation is a testimonial to undying love for his passion, hence, sparing no effort and resource at saving it. Last week, Robert Azibaola, Chief Executive of Kakaarta Engineering and Zeetin, a precise engineering technology incubator went back to his roots to sensitise his people towards saving their environment to sustain quality living. Ahamefula Ogbu was there to witness the campaign which highpoint was a bonfire at the Otakeme square where the villagers melted into their natural lifestyles
What started out like a mission impossible has gradually morphed into a global issue as while he had been preaching on preservation of the environment, often taking on oil companies in the Niger Delta his main aim was to save depleting natural endowments of his people. At a point, it appeared his childhood obsession of engineering and science had beclouded his desire for a cleaner and safer environment. However, it turned out that he had only gone back to his drawing board and to change strategy.
Being one who grew up mostly in his village, he watched as things were degraded before surmising that petitions and fighting the oil giants may not yield the needed result and decided to draw the attention of his people to the existential threats posed by activities of environmental profiteers.
Azibaola first mooted and followed up with the idea of going back into the forests of his community to see whether the thick rain forest had taken a hit and how far it was surviving. He organised a two week-expedition into the forest, a dangerous if not suicidal venture given the reality of the times. With the courage and conviction of an activist, he organised and went into the forest that used to house the wealth of the people. At the end, he came back in tears as the present generation had been divested of the rich content of the rain belt through deliberate activities of man and at that, without any attempt to give back either to nature or the people of his area.
He discovered that trees, flora and fauna, animals and other rich contents of the rain belt that were exclusive to the forests of Ogbia, Bayelsa State had become endangered species as they were going extinct in other parts of the globe had also suffered same fate in his remote village. He also discovered wood loggers were not sparing economic trees that use to create wealth for the people and he immediately raised the alarm. Knowing full well that those environmental predators were not within his locality alone, he decided to compress his experience in a documentary which he beamed to the world for all to see.
Done with raising the alarm through the media, he decided it was time to go back to his roots to also sensitise and mobilise them to join the effort to save the rain belt and by extension, themselves. On his way to Bayelsa, he stopped over at his primary school, Baptist Day Primary School, Port Harcourt where he motivationally charged pupils to be focused and nothing would stand on their way to success citing his own humble background. He said the school gave him the foundation upon which he has built till this moment.
He assured them that with perseverance, their future would be bright, adding, “aim high and God willing, you will succeed. No child is too dull to succeed. Showing you a good example in myself is the best gift to the young generation. I am here to give back to my alma mata”. In his usual manner, he gave without announcing his contribution to the school which when he asked of their pressing need to enable him intervene, gave him a long list which he would either choose from or do all. To show his children his trajectory, he visited the school with one of his children, Yepaye who described the visit as the highest point of her life and mixed freely with the pupils.
Robert thereafter proceeded to Bayelsa where the sensitisation had been on for a while in what would be like the grand finale of his nature’s preservation campaign. Since he was carrying the entire Ogbia Kingdom along, he had stopovers visiting the elderly, his inlaws and traditional institutions where he subtly confirmed that the people had bought into his ideas. Prominent among those visited was the mother of President Goodluck Jonathan, Iyayi who cuddled him as a child.
Of the Otakeme squares, rounds were made to choose the one to use. In the process, one observed that everyone had access to him and made open suggestions. Infact, the people, both old and young claimed him as their own and he stopped to listen to every whisper. This prompted one to call aside one of the youth to ask what endeared him to Robert and Odiaye Wilson replied, “I grew up facing a lot of hardships personally and in our community. One day when I went to school fearing I would be driven back because I had not paid my school fees, I discovered that the teacher no longer came with his cane to drive some of out of the class; instead, books were distributed to us and we were told not to worry again, that a son of this town has paid for all of us.
=“He helps everyone, both old and young with their complaints and problems; he built our roads, provided all these solar lights you see that light up the entire village at night. He bought generators and fuels them to give us light when there is power failure. He provides for us more than any government can provide. Whatever he said we should do, we will do it because he has been a good example to all of us. Before now, our youths used to be restive but see how peaceful the place is now, we are grateful that God blessed us with someone like him. Even before now, he used to engage the oil companies and ensure they conform to the best methods of working without destroying our place. We love him.”
Finally, by late Saturday, July 9, 2022, after the venue of the bonfire and carnival had been decided on, a local dance group stormed Robert’s lodge and entertained all night with music and dances. Even young girls accompanied the boys playing flutes and drums, stopping after every few steps to wiggle their waists in a vibrating fashion reminiscent of the local dance steps to the pulsating sounds. Food and drinks flowed freely till the early hours of the D-day which was July 10.
The activities seem to have been dogged by natural inhibitions as rain threatened to disrupt the event, transiting from drizzles to downpour; however, Robert was undeterred and exhibited stoic stubbornness in insisting that everything had to take a natural bent. He insisted that there could not be a proper bonfire under a canopy while he dismissed with a wave of the hand accompanied by his usual smile, a suggestion that he should appease rainmakers with N150,000 which though affordable, he declined to do. It rained till the ground became soft while barbeque points smoked endlessly. Some improvisation saved the day as disused roofing sheets were used to cover the ovens while though dressed in suit, he stood under the rain to flag off the event.
Being one the community see as showing the light, once he stood in the rain, every other person joined him including royal fathers from all Ogbia clans. The support and submission to the natural elements was humbling and a pointer to deference to natural order and belief. Intermittently, the flame of the bonfire under the rain went up as fuel was poured in the flame showing an unyielding resolve to carry the programme through.
Meanwhile, both local and international media were well represented at the occasion while different music groups and disc jockeys plied their trade in turns. However, the local group that had stormed Robert’s lodgement the previous day defied the rain to sing and dance round the square. On their second round, Robert who had been nodding from the sidelines could no longer resist it as he joined them singing and dancing, an action which buoyed the dexterity of both players and dancers and the arena was instantly electrified.
Locals made rounds carrying sand to pour on places where puddles of water from the rain had gathered which infact could be said to demonstrate defiance of nature and resolve of the people to carry the programme through. Midway into this defiance of nature, it bowed and the sky became clear.
When the traditional rulers from different Ogbia domains were seated after their formal introduction, as if to dare them, the rain came again and one of the people introduced as the chief priest was seated among them. We approached him and inquired why as the chief priest he could not hold the elements which are said to bow before him, the young man smiled and said, “we have tried our best and this is the season so we can’t hold it.” Shortly afterwards though, as if to show the supremacy of God, the rain stopped and the combination of the bonfire, barbequed fish, plantain and goat meat with loud music made the arena eclectic.
Robert soon took the microphone and greeted the gathering in his native Ogbia tongue which aroused a resounding response and as one prepared for the event, he went about explaining all issues about climate change in his native language after which he launched into English language for the sake of visitors at the venue.
He recalled times when he used to rely on proceeds from the forests in terms of economic trees to attend to his expenses. He also told the elders how unfair they have been to later generations who no longer know popular trees which were landmarks because they had been cut down or logged. He recalled that the folklore was that the adibiri (Bush mango or ogbono) was not harvested but to anyone who happens on it when it has fallen, you will pick the quantity you can and sell to make money.
Nearing tears, he narrated to the gathering that after his expedition into the Ogbia rain forest, he was so saddened because of the disappearance of trees and animals that have been hunted to extinction and pleaded with them to commence preservation of both plants and animals. He pointed out that the trees we cut down produce the oxygen we breath and that if we start lacking trees, our environment becomes less conducive to live in and in the end, everyone will die.
He pleaded that rather than hunt the endangered species and wild animals for food, the people should rear what they eat as most of the bush meats carry diseases that could be fatal to the human race and kill while people think such fatalities arise from other sources.
On loggers, he regretted that they were not distinguishing between economic trees and ordinary ones but cut down and carry away without giving back to the people of forest. He advocated punitive taxing of loggers as well as making them replace trees they cut down by planting new ones; explaining that some advanced countries who know the use of rain forests to humanity will be ready to go to war if bull dozers entered such places as the Amazon rain forest as such would pose grave danger to the entire globe. He took time to ask the elders popular trees that were landmarks and if they were still there. He also asked them of common animals that were seen everywhere in their forests if they were still there to which they answered in the negative and he charged them to take control of the environment for their sake and those of their children.
After the passionate appeal, the royal fathers and others who gathered at the square realised the enormity of the problem which destruction of the rain forest and they took turns to pledge that they will henceforth, do all within their power to protect the environment both to stem global warming and to have a clean and safe place of existence. They also pledged to not only replant trees already hewn down but to ensure that loggers face excessive tax or that they pay for the destruction of the forests.
Johnson Jonathan who was most vehement and spoke for the youth assured that the mistakes which had been endangering their forests and the species therein had come to a stop and vowed to mobilise other youth to stop illegal activities. The same line was towed by the royal fathers who pledged to stop every illegal activity in their domains.
On the whole, the effort of Robert has in a way sensitised the people and is a good step in the long haul to having safer environment, stemming global warming and conserving most species that are rare and going extinct.
