Ooni’s Queen calls for environmental sustainability

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo
Queen Aderonke Ogunwusi, one of the Queens of the Ooni of Ile-Ife, has called for greater environmental care and preservation, stating that it is humanity’s moral obligation and duty to sustain the planet for future generations.
Queen Ogunwusi, who is the Global Ambassador for Queen Moremi Ajasoro Initiative (QMA) made the call in Osogbo during a press conference to announce the 7th edition of the initiative’s yearly women leadership and entrepreneurship/beauty pageant programme.
She stated that knowledge on climate change and sustainability will help rid the environment of harmful substances, reduce flooding and other environmental-related disasters.
She said: “It is our moral obligation and our duty to make sure that we keep this planet and sustain the planet for generations to come.
“This is why Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi is at the forefront of enlightening young girls, through the QMA, on the importance of sustainability, working with things that are not harmful to the planet.
“A lot of people don’t know that used plastic bottles, when not properly recycled, would take about a thousand or million years for it to go back into the earth. God created this planet, we have to make sure we support His creation.
“We see so many things like flooding, global climate change, if we do not take care of the planet, the planet will not take care of us as well and it will not be sustainable for generations to come.”
Queen Ogunwusi said that the QMA initiative was conceived and conceptualise by Ooni Ogunwusi in 2016.
According to her, the aim of the initiative is to celebrate women in leadership, encourage more young women to take up leadership roles in the society, to support the rights of the Girl-Child as well as encourage female education in Nigeria and Africa.
She said that the 27 selected participants would be taught entrepreneurship, mentorship, given grant for small-scale businesses and also take part in a leadership and cultural pageant (which is not like the conventional beauty pageant).
She added that while in camp, the selected girls would be taught and mentored, especially on leadership, culture and sustainability.
Also speaking, a United Nations Ambassador on Environment, Yemi Olapeju who is tutoring the ladies on sustainability, lauded Ooni Ogunwusi and the queen for the initiative saying the United Nations will look into supporting the rich programme.