LAGOS, GERMAN CONSUL SUPPORT GROUP’S CLIMATE ACTION CAMPAIGN IN SCHOOLS
The Lagos State Government, through the Office of the Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy and the German Consul General in the State, have thrown their weight behind the Founder of Lightout Highschool Initiative (LHI) campaign on climate action and recycling to public schools.
The campaign was held recently at Ireti Grammar School and Falomo High School in Ikoyi in the form of a concert to sensitise students on recycling, using art and entertainment to drive the message.
Speaking to the initiative, Mrs. Titi Oshodi, Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, emphasised the crucial role children play in sustainability and social transformation.
She noted that their open-mindedness, influence on families and communities, and potential as future leaders make them ideal environmental ambassadors and social change agents.
In her remarks, the Program Officer at the Consulate General of Germany in Lagos, Udochukwu Okeahialam said the project speaks to the need to channel the energy and curiosity of our younger generation into productive, transformative activities.
Through this initiative, we have seen students engage with vital issues such as climate change, environmental sustainability, and the importance of recycling-issues that are not only critical for Nigeria but for the world.
Her words, “The Climate Action and Recycling Campaign Project is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically, SDG 3 on good health and well-being, SDG 4 on quality education, and SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production. These goals remind us that sustainability is not a one-dimensional issue. Protecting our environment, improving our health, and promoting education are deeply interconnected challenges that require innovative, inclusive, and lasting solutions.”
Akinade Ibuoye, the Founder of Lightout Highschool Initiative, who also is a musician and popularly known as ‘Gaise Baba’ disclosed that this year’s edition is the 22nd and a major milestone in partnership with an international organisation aimed at sensitising students on the benefits of climate actions and recycling.
He explained the initiative is more than a climate campaign action, it is just that the Y2024 edition is built around climate action and recycling.
According to him, “As a musician who is conscious of the environment, conscious of my community, my nation. I want to sensitise other young people to make the right decisions and make the right choices; that’s why we started this in 2017. We’ve gone to federal government schools. We’ve gone to private schools. Now we are going to Lagos State public Schools as well. We started from my alma mater, King’s College, in 2017.
“We’ve done 21 editions. This is our 22nd edition. This is the first time that we’re having a partnership with an international organisation like the Consulate General of Germany. So it’s great to see the German consulate believe in what we’re doing and help us do better at it.
“We promote values like delayed gratification to tell young people that you don’t have to get rich quickly through illegals. We also promote abstinence to avoid sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. So we tell them that the best way to avoid that is to abstain until marriage”, he added.
Gaise Baba lauded the Lagos state government support through the Office of the Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Mrs. Titi Oshodi as well as the Education District III of the Ministry of Education.