Nigerian children turned up in their numbers with intellectual performances, literary inspirations and creative arts to lend their voices to the call for sustainable living and improved stewardship of the earth.

These and other submissions were outcomes of the 2022 World Environment Day (WED) commemoration by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation- the foremost environmental NGO in Nigeria dedicated to nature conservation and biodiversity resources management. The event held at Lekki Conservation Centre, Lagos with the theme “Only One Earth”.

This year’s World Environment Day witnessed creative interpretations of the theme by students of primary and secondary schools who competed with visual and performing arts across categories.  Divine Icons, Badore and D’Cherub School, Lagos took 1^st & 2^nd position respectively in the 5-8 years category; D’Cherub School and God of Seed Montessori School came 1^st & 2^nd position respectively in ages 9-12 category; and in the ages 13-16 years category, Treasure Court School, and D’Cherub School came 1^st & 2^nd position respectively.

Other invited schools that participated in the commemoration are Genesis School, Deo Potential School, Liberty Bells School, Watercress School, Government Senior School and Mubarak School, all in Lagos State.

The Director General of NCF, Dr Muhtari Aminu-Kano who was represented by Director of Technical Programmes, Dr Joseph Onoja revealed that the amount of human endeavour exerted in damaging the natural environment could be converted to recovering, restoring, and protecting the planet from further damage. He advised that we should seek to protect the earth and desist from exploiting it.

He said, “We continue to call on people to know that we have only one earth. That is why the theme of this year echoed the theme used 50 years ago, to remind the people that we still have only one earth and to protect it with passion”.

In attendance were Dr Bernard Omoyeni, HSE Specialist, Chevron Nigeria Ltd; Mr Omoniyi Iyanda, CSR Manager, FCMB; Mr Olabode Adeola, Deputy Director, Lagos State Ministry of Environment & Water Resources; Mr Adewumi Adeyemi, Assistant Director, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture; Mr Olakunle Fafiola, NCF Life Fellow; members of Nigerian Environment Society among others.

The World Environment Day is an annual event led by the United Nations Environment Programme since June, 5 1973 to highlight the important role the environment plays and our responsibilities as individuals and corporations to protect the environment for present and future generations.

The event was sponsored by Chevron Nig Ltd, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and FanMilk Plc.