First Lady champions environmental education with launch of national student club
By Kunle Sanni –
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has called on young people across the country to take the lead in championing environmental sustainability as she launched the National Environment Club and Environment Society on Friday in Abuja. The initiative, coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Environment, aims to build a new generation of environmentally conscious Nigerians.
Speaking at the ceremony, the first lady opened with a tribute to the contributions of young environmental advocates, highlighting a poem presented by Esther Abraham, an SS3 student of Government Senior Secondary School, Mabushi. She described the student’s performance as “a message of love” for the environment and praised her passion.
Senator Tinubu unveiled membership kits for selected student representatives, noting that the tools—including cards, handbooks, and materials—would support club members in their environmental activities. She also drew on her background as a trained biologist and former educator to emphasise the importance of environmental education.
“Young people are the right ambassadors to drive this programme we launch today,” she said. “Go Green Today for a Greener Tomorrow captures the spirit of sustainability and collective responsibility.”
According to the first lady, members of the newly launched Environment Club will be responsible for keeping schools and communities clean, promoting recycling, discouraging plastic use, and planting trees. At the tertiary level, the Environment Society will focus on shoreline cleanups, reforestation efforts, and advocacy for sustainable practices.
She also appealed to state officials and governors’ wives to support the initiative, describing them as “key champions of this cause.”
In his remarks, Minister of Environment Mallam Lawal underscored the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s worsening waste management challenges. He cited weak infrastructure, poor enforcement, and negative public attitudes toward waste disposal as key drivers of the problem. He noted that limited environmental education among young people has contributed to persistent issues such as open burning and indiscriminate littering.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative Elsie Attafuah reaffirmed the UN’s support for Nigeria’s environmental agenda and lauded the central role young people will play in shaping sustainable solutions.
