Skating for climate change was the first of its kind in Nigeria, and the aims is to sensitize children and youth ,rise more awareness on climate change through sport
The Theme of the event is “First skating for Climate change “which attract the attention of many school children’s including the Homeless children’s
Among the Skating teams in Kaduna that took part of the event includes; Kaduna Sky Skaters, Zazzau Skaters, United Kaduna Skaters and Golden Skaters.and hoping to that more of this campaign through sport To local communities,Ghettos, with the aims of educating Ghetto children and children at Refugess camp in the north eastern Nigeria
The African Climate Reporters is an online portal dedicated to opening new perspective in the coverage and reportage of climate change and the region’s environment.
The National President, Tranquility Movement of Nigeria. Alhaji Ibrahim Gashash, said the issue of climate change is real and has reached a stage that Nigerians must get serious and make attempt to bring it under control.
The existence of a tree even within the home makes the weather better. The oxygen exchange that comes with trees is health for everybody. It reduces the heat and climatic change experience we are suffering now.
“If there are trees around most of the moisture we are having will be absorbed by trees and be converted to something useful and beneficial to us.
“In other countries there are rules and regulations, laws as regards tree plantations, unfortunately in Nigeria it is non existent. Ten to fifteen years ago in Kaduna metropolitan city all of the streets were lined by trees.
“In fact, everywhere one goes in the major streets were under the shadow of trees. But today all the trees have been felled for timber, something not even worth it. There used to be trees of over hundred years; while some are still there others have been vandalized.
” You see the fruits we are eating today were planted by people earlier and if we don’t plant another set, those old trees will die off and our children will have nothing to eat again.
“Sport has a unique power to attract, mobilize and inspire. Its intrinsic values – teamwork, fairness, discipline, respect for the opponent and the rules of the game – can be harnessed in the advancement of solidarity, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence”
Gashash says the contribution of using sports in climate change campaign and awareness to communities cannot be overemphasized, adding that the community level sports has the unique power to attract, mobilize and create an atmosphere where people can come together and work together towards the same goal and show respect to one another.
Similarly, President, Peace Revival Reconciliation Foundation of Nigeria; Pastor Yohannah Buru, going down memory lane said as a primary school pupil he could remember vividly the magnitude of rain fall experienced in 70s in Nigeria where unprecedented.
“When I relocated to NITEL QuartSa in Sabon Tasha, Chikun Local Government Area, the few residents there were excited. They told my family that they were living with snakes and thick elephant grass. In fact you can’t access the area throughout the raining season this is to tell you how things have change.
“You can compare the heat waves around March/April of the last Century with the experience in the turn of the 21st Century. Things have changed radically.
“These are something visible, one can touch and experience, so it is not a myth but a reality. Climate change and global warming is endangering people’s lives. Governments at all levels, Non-Governmental Organizations must do something, the media should enlighten the general public on the issue because we are in a fixed so that we don’t become helpless at the end.
“We also pray that this don’t lead the country to another level that will cause us to run from one place to another. And due to this climate change that is why the Fulani herdsmen are running from the desert area to greener pasture. This is the causes of farmers/herdsmen conflicts,” he said.
Buru added that climate change is becoming a threat to the lives of many African due to how it affect Farming,health,Migration of both human and animals,extinction of many aquatic animals ETC
In the same vein, Patron of African Climate Reporters, Dr. Yusuf Nadabo, said looking at the global trend, things hitherto not seen before is happening nowadays. Melting of ice, ocean is rising and over flooding. On the other hand extreme heat recorded now, all these attest to the fact that there is global warming and is a reality.
“It is a concrete reality and this is what we have to really tackle. We have to accept the fact that this is a global trend and the way we can manage it is to arrest deforestation through planting of trees.
” We may very soon with consolidation of our efforts come to counter the global effect and that is why we are here today. This event is to raise awareness of the general public on this dangerous global trend,” he said.
Nadabo further stressed on the importance of taking climate change education to all primary,secondary and tertiary institute across the country,so as to sensitize more children on the impact of climate change in their society
“we must join hands together and fight climate change in our society,we must join hand and educate our urban and rural citizens on the health implication of climate change and how it can affect human health”
In his own remark at the event, Teku Farm Kaduna founded by Ibrahim Salisu ,he said , in his contribution to create awareness on climate change he has launched a project tagged: ‘Cut One, Plant Ten’ , and through this project he intend to draft more people to imbibe the culture of tree planting especially in the Northern part of Nigeria.
“To this effect about 150 students of the Kaduna State University (KASU) and the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, will come to Teku Farm for practicals in areas of their disciplines,” he disclosed.
All the team that really participated in the event expressed satisfaction and hoping to see more of this gathering, which is aimed at raison awareness about skating game in Nigeria
The coordination African climate reporters comrade mohammed Zakariyya pointed out clearly that, there is need to sensitize the youth on climate change through sport because children so much like skating game
He concluded by saying that,Climate change is real, we must stand-up and rise more awareness on the dangers of desertification,deforestation and global warming
African union AU need to double –up more effort in the fight against deforestation and increasing bush burning that is contributing to climate change in the entire forestry of African nation
“Sports can also serve as a conflict prevention measure, helping to forestall the process that leads to the generation of aggression, hatred and fear, which are the key ingredients of conflicts. In the light of the above, sporting activities like football, hockey, volleyball, among others, can be used to help build peace in troubled communities and crisis zone areas,”
so also sport can be the answers to most of our question on the various roles the youth can play in creating awareness to climate change
