Renowned environmental activist and founder, Friends of Lake Turkana, Ms. Ikal Angelei has joined the pan-African Advisory Board of NatureNews, Africa’s leading environment newspaper.
A statement signed by Publisher/CEO of NatureNews, Aliu Akoshile, said Ms. Ikal Angelei brings to the board her solid experience in environmental justice advocacy and civil rights campaign.
The statement said Ms. Angelei, who has been awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize, is famous for her courageous action in creating global awareness on the environmental implications of a proposed Gilgel Gibe III dam around the Lake Turkana in Kenya.
Mr. Akoshile said the impact of her intervention was underscored by the realization that the lake, which is located in East Africa’s Rift Valley, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is reputed to be the largest desert lake in the world.
He said Ms. Angelei, who is a grassroots politician and civil rights activist, was committed to defending the site which is also a rich archeological ground where scientists have discovered some of the oldest human fossils.
The NatureNews publisher noted that Ms. Angelei believes the Turkana is a haven to a large population of marine animals including snakes, crocodiles, fish and hippos, adding that the lake’s thriving ecosystem represents a lifeline to thousands of indigenous farmers, herders, and fishermen who live around it.
He explained that the Lake Turkana’s water levels have shrunk over the past 40 years due to the combined effects of earth escalation for dams, irrigation and of course climate change.
The advisory Board which was inaugurated on Tuesday has the King (Emir) of Dutse in the north western Nigeria and Chancellor of Sokoto State University, Alhaji (Dr.) Nuhu Muhammad Sanusi, as chairman, while the Executive President of the African Indigenous Women’s Organisation – Central Africa Network (AIWO-CAN) and Commissioner of Cameroon Human Rights Commission, Ms. Hawe Hamman Bouba, is a member.
Other members, according to the statement, includes the Chairman of Stanbic Bank of Tanzania and three-time Minister and member of the Steering Committee of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) International Resource Panel, Professor Mark Mwandosya; and the consummate conservationist and Environmental Hero awardee of DW German TV network who is also President of Lekki Urban Forest & Animal Sanctuary Initiative (LUFASI), Mr. Desmond Majekodunmi.
Akoshile said the board also has distinguished Professor Abdoulaye Bathily, a three-time Minister in Senegal, Presidential candidate and former Special Representative of the UN Secretary General/Head of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa; as well as the Harvard trained women empowerment advocate and corporate chieftain, Dr. Namane Magau who served on the executive team of South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) and was Executive Vice President of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Other board members, according to NatureNews publisher, are Professor Salah Arafa, a foremost advocate of environmental protection who is widely acknowledged in Egypt and throughout the Arab world for his pioneering work with the utilization of renewable energies for rural community development and sustainable living; and the renowned environmental activist and laureate of the prestigious Thoroft Rafto Memorial prize, Architect Nnimmo Bassey who is Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation.
While inaugurating the Advisory Board, Aliu Akoshile said the choice of the members was to underscore the publisher’s vision of making NatureNews the authentic African voice on climate change and sustainable environment.
He thanked the members for accepting to lend their weights to the cause of development journalism which the newspaper, www.naturenews.africa, symbolises.
Akoshile said the board has the historic duty to help Africa overcome the challenges of climate change and create a sustainable living environment for 1.367 billion people in the continent.