Oba Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi, the traditional ruler of Ayetoro Community in Ondo State, has called on coastal communities across the Niger Delta to unite in addressing the growing threat of ocean encroachment.
Ojagbohunmi, the Ogeloyinbo of Ayetoro, made the call on Saturday at a coastal communities interface organized by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in Yenagoa.
He said coastline settlements in the Niger Delta must defend their environment by adopting sustainable measures to curb ocean encroachment and preserve their heritage.
The monarch noted that rising sea levels and associated coastal erosion pose an existential threat to the culture and identity of the Ayetoro people.
“In the past, the tidal currents used to add sand to our land, but in the last 25 years, the ocean has alarmingly encroached into our community. The loss of land is a huge threat. We do not want to lose our identity and culture,” he said.
Speaking on the theme: “Sea Encroachment, Coastal Erosion and Livelihood Losses: Building Community Resilience against Climate Change,” Ojagbohunmi said unity among coastal communities was critical to tackling the challenge.
He added that Ayetoro’s long-standing communal lifestyle had helped strengthen solidarity in the face of persistent ocean incursions. He, however, expressed concern that the community had not received meaningful support despite more than 25 years of appeals about the threat from the Atlantic Ocean.
Earlier, Mr Stanley Egholo, Lead for Fossil Politics at HOMEF, said the organization remained committed to supporting communities affected by the impacts of climate change.
Also speaking, Mr Umo Isua-Ikoh, Coordinator of the Peace Point Development Foundation, urged coastal dwellers to use civil society support networks to amplify their concerns.
Obonganwan Elizabeth Eyo, Village Head of Esierebom Community in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, identified indiscriminate tree felling as a major environmental threat. She said her community had intensified awareness efforts and embarked on tree planting initiatives.
“This effort has rejuvenated the Nsidung Beach and made it a model that other communities now emulate,” she said.
HOMEF is an ecological think tank and environmental rights advocacy organization.
The event brought together coastal community representatives from Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Ondo states.
