A profound call has been issued to the nation’s legal fraternity and wider professional bodies to intensify the drive for environmental literacy and education, with the plea coming from the highest echelon of academic governance in Rivers State.
Dr. Chinyere Igwe, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council for the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, delivered the mandate while presiding as Chairman of the occasion at the 2025 Award, Investiture, and Dinner organised by the Association of Environmental Lawyers of Nigeria in Port Harcourt.
Dr. Igwe, a distinguished legal practitioner and former Federal legislator, argued that the preservation of the environment, particularly amidst the urgent realities of climate change, is a “shared legacy” transcending professional boundaries.
“Our environment is a shared heritage; it is our common legacy and our shared responsibility,” Dr. Igwe declared. He stressed that the protection of natural resources, social values, and sustainability serves as the crucial index for measuring future economic growth.
The Pro-Chancellor noted that institutions and nations across the globe are now operating with intentionality regarding environmental preservation to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. He firmly asserted that the onus now falls upon legal professionals: “Lawyers must lead the call for a national campaign, attitudinal orientation and education about the environment and environmental policies in the country.”
During the ceremony, Dr. Igwe was inducted as a Fellow of the Green Advocate of Nigeria (FGAN), an honour shared with other notable dignitaries. Re-emphasising the pivotal role of the law, he highlighted that the nation’s legal system and its practitioners are critical in deepening and shaping policies designed to safeguard the ecosystem, ensuring that both the populace and the environment can thrive in mutual harmony.
Responding to the charge, Professor Samuel Dike, the President of the Association of Environmental Lawyers of Nigeria, disclosed that the body has initiated a robust five-year plan aimed at continuously raising public consciousness regarding environmental protection, preservation, and sustainability across Nigeria.
