First Lady urges youths to be creative, take charge of their environment

First Lady urges youths to be creative, take charge of their environment

— Launches environmental club

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Friday urged the youths to be bold, creative, take charge of their environment to ensure it is green. 

Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who gave the charge at the launch of the environment club and environment society in Abuja,  said the circular economy represents an opportunity to rethink how citizens live and produce and where nothing is wasted, and everything is valued. 

The president’s wife called on Nigerian youth to lead the country’s crusade for environmental sustainability.

The environment society is comprised of university students, while the environment club is for senior secondary students. 

Mrs. Tinubu unveiled membership kits to selected representatives of both clubs and highlighted the importance of practical tools for their mission. 

She reflected on her own lifelong connection to nature, saying: “I am a biologist professionally. I studied educational biology, and my love for plants inspired me in my studies. Teaching environmental sanitation in Lagos was part of my early work, and I believe young people are the right ambassadors to drive this programme we launch today.”

On the goals of the initiative, the First Lady said: “The Environment Club and The Environment Society will develop young Nigerians committed to environmental preservation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable resource use. 

“These clubs cultivate a national mindset prioritizing ecological responsibility, alternative livelihoods, and entrepreneurship opportunities for our youth.”

She further said: “Members of the Environment Club will keep their schools and communities clean, promote recycling, plant trees, and discourage plastics. They will become young champions of climate awareness, inspiring peers and families to take action. 

“The Environment Society in tertiary institutions will lead clean-ups along shorelines and beaches, participate in reforestation, and conduct advocacy on sustainable practices.”

Reiterating the alignment with the administration’s broader vision, she said, “This initiative aligns closely with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, prioritising sustainability, inclusive growth, and youth empowerment.”

Speaking earlier, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal reiterated Nigeria’s urgent environmental challenges and the key role of youth in solving them.

He said: “Nigeria faces a severe waste management crisis driven by inadequate infrastructure, weak enforcement, and negative attitudes toward proper waste disposal,” he said. “This has led to rampant pollution, serious public health risks, and environmental degradation.”

He stressed the need for widespread environmental education: “A key factor is limited access to structured education, especially among young people. Awareness remains low, and unsustainable habits like indiscriminate littering and open burning persist.”

On the clubs’ mission, he said, “We focus on advocacy, climate change adaptation, circular economy practices, disaster risk reduction, and natural resource management. This initiative will drive awareness, community projects, and groom young leaders for Africa’s waste goals.”

He further stated that the initiative is designed to empower youth as agents of positive environmental change, promising support through uniforms, tools, and logistical backing.

In a goodwill message, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, Elsie Attafuah, affirmed the global community’s support for Nigeria’s environmental agenda and the crucial role of young people.

Attafuah commended the First Lady for championing a vision that places both the planet and the young people at the center of national development. 

“There is profound leadership, and the United Nations Development Programme, and by extension, the United Nations family, is honoured to stand with you,” she said. 

Attafuah highlighted the urgency of environmental challenges globally: “Across the world, climate change is reshaping how we live. Floods, heat waves, food systems disruptions, polluted air, plastics, disappearing species. 

“That is what we face today. It is one of the most complex development challenges of all times—environmental issues.”

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