By George George Idowu
The world’s most trafficked mammals are on the brink of extinction due to the illegal demand for their scales in Asia. Nigeria, as a major transit point for pangolin scales, has a crucial role to play in stopping this wildlife crime.
That’s why a coalition of Nigerian celebrities from different fields of music, comedy, sports, and business have come together to support the Wild Africa Fund, a leading conservation organization, in launching a nationwide campaign to raise awareness and action on the plight of pangolins.
The campaign, which is backed by a group of Nigerian media partners, features some of the most famous and influential Nigerians, such as 2Face, Davido, Ali Baba, Emanuella, Alex Iwobi, Josh2Funny, and many others.
They have lent their voices and platforms to spread the message of protecting pangolins and other endangered wildlife.
Dr. Mark Ofua, the West Africa representative of the Wild Africa Fund, said the campaign aims to use the power of celebrities to inspire Nigerians to become leaders in the fight against wildlife trafficking.
The campaign has already made a significant impact on the Nigerian public, according to a recent survey by Market Surveys International, a Lagos-based research firm.
The survey showed that 88 percent of Nigerians were aware of the campaign, and 97 percent of young people aged 10-17 remembered it.
Moreover, 86 percent of the respondents said they would stop eating wildlife because of the campaign, and 31 percent had already quit bushmeat. Additionally, 91 percent said they would switch to alternative sources of protein.
The campaign’s success can be attributed to several factors, such as the increased coverage of wildlife issues by Nigerian media, the powerful public service announcements by Nigerian celebrities, and the entertaining content such as Dr. Mark’s Animal Show, which educates young viewers about wildlife and has been aired on popular Nigerian TV channels like Silverbird TV, StarTimes, and Teen Africa TV.
Peter Knights OBE, the founder and CEO of the Wild Africa Fund, thanked the Nigerian celebrities and media for their tremendous support, and highlighted Nigeria’s potential to become a regional champion in conserving pangolins and other threatened wildlife.