HOMEF Train Bayelsans on How Culture Can Be Used to Preserve Extractive Industries 

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa 

The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has trained communities in Bayelsa State on ways to use cultural tools to resist extractive industries in readiness of the energy transition program

The training, which was held in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, brought together community leaders, youths, and women from various communities affected by extractive activities. 

Tagged ‘Community Dialogue and Training on Just Energy Transition and The Use of Cultural Tools to Build Resistance’, the organisers said the training was aimed at equipping participants with knowledge and skills on how to use their cultural heritage to defend and resist the continuous exploitation by extractives.

HOMEF’s Programme Manager Community and Culture,  Mr. Cadmus Atake-Enade, said the dialogue was basically to empower communities on their roles in the energy transition process.

He added that the only way communities can defend themselves against activities of the extractive industries is to use the tools of music, dance and folklore embedded in their culture.

Atake-Enade said: “The reason why we decided to work on this topic is that over time there have been issues of Just Energy Transition. 

“We hear from the government, civil societies and all that but the people that are really impacted, the people that have been affected by these extractive activities are not fully aware of what Just Energy Transition is all about.

“They are not really aware of how they can be part of the Just Energy Transition process, roles the community people are expected to be playing, including which roles the women are playing.

“Which roles are the community youths playing, which roles are the men playing in the Just Energy Transition process?

“So we came here to actually have this dialogue with the communities to ensure that they understand the facts and basics of the Just Energy Transition as it relates to the community people.

“Also we discussed building resistance against extractives using cultural tools and why we decided to work on that as well as for them to have this understanding.

“They have the power within themselves to defend themselves against the extractive activities and the antics they are using as a yardstick for the Just Energy Transition process,” he said.

According to him, they will come to tell them “we want to bring in Net Zero Project, we want to bring in Reserved Area Project and so many projects that will benefit community people.

“But at the end of the day all these are grammar just to deceive the people and to keep on extracting their natural resources without them knowing that they have the tools to resist, like storytelling, arts and dances to mobilise their community people against the extractive activities,” he said.

A resource person and Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Defenders Network, Mr.Alagoa Morris, noted that the training was a crucial step in building the capacity of communities against the negative activities of the extractive by using culture.

He added that communities should stick to their core values and cultural heritage that gives them their real identity.

Morris maintained that “When we are united by our culture we can resist the negative influences of the extractives from outside and that which is coming from within.”

Former Paramount Ruler of Opolo Community, Chief Ogidi Egbo, and the Traditional Woman Leader of Onopa Community, Chief Mrs Ebikineye Nelson, said the training is an eye opener on the crucial role culture plays in resisting the negative impact.

Participants learned about the significance of their cultural practices, such as traditional music, dance, and art, in conveying messages of resistance and resilience and shared experiences of how their cultural heritage has been impacted by extractive activities.