By Nneka Nwogwugwu
It was a galore of encomiums as Nigeria’s foremost online environment newspaper, NatureNews Africa launched its first edition of ClimateAfrica magazine.
The launch which served as part of the activities to mark NatureNews first anniversary was held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
“ClimateAfrica will be deployed to reporting the environment and to amplify creative solutions for making the environment habitable for human being, animals and plants,” Aliu Akoshile, Publisher of NatureNews and ClimateAfrica stated in his opening remarks on Tuesday.
He said that Climate Change is the most topical issue globally because climate impact now poses grave danger to humanity in all ramifications of existence.
Speaking further on the motivation for the magazine, he said, “ We thought of the need to deepen the tone of conversation about climate change in Africa so as to drive home the necessity of finance, mitigation and adaption for the continent as enunciated in the 2015 Paris Agreement.
“As we are driven by a deep passion for social investment in sustainability initiatives, we have already developed a creative plan that will enable our country achieve the goal of ODF environment by the year 2025.”
He also informed that another initiative to include in the climate Africa initiative is the conferment of the Hero of Environment Actions for Development (HEAD) award.
Speaking at the launch, the minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu, said, “The reality has come to us that climate change is a serious issue and nothing will work if the environment is not conductive.”
Adamu congratulated the publisher for the launch of the magazine, which he described as “quite appropriate and timely.”
While launching the magazine, Former chairman, Standard Chartered Bank Limited, Alhaji M.I. Yahaya, OFR, hailed the contributions of the publisher for promoting clean environment and fighting against climate change.
He called on stakeholders to encourage impactful contributions of people who are keened into restoring the environment.
Also, in his anniversary speech on climate Africa: Resilience and Adaptation , Chairman, Stanbic Bank Tanzania Limited, Prof. Mark Mwandosya also hailed the efforts of the publisher on climate affairs.
Mwandosya noted how important it is for Africans to boost efforts in protecting the environment. He acknowledged that the COP26 at Glasgow has given Africa opportunity to register their concerns with world leaders who have now made efforts to place funding for the restoration of the climate.
Reviewing the magazine, Dr. Abiodun Adeniyi, Associate Prof and Head of Mass Communication Department, Baze University, Abuja said that reporting on climate related issues is specialised reporting that is aimed at development purposes.
“The handling of the environment sector will be further expanded with a specialised magazine like climateAfrica,” he added.
In his remarks, Chairman of the occasion, HRH, Alhaji Nuhu Muhammad Sanusi, CON, congratulated the publisher and the management of NatureNews for a milestone achieved.
Highlights of the event include presentation of awards to Favour Oluma and Intisar Bashir Kurfi.
Among dignitaries present at the occasion were President of Newspaper proprietors of Nigeria (NPAN), Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, National vice president 1, UNILAG Alumni Association, Chief Fasdy A.O. Yusuf.