By Chiedu Uche Okoye
The traditional ruler of Obosi, Igwe Chidubem Iweka (Eze Iweka III), has called on residents of Obosi and other parts of Anambra State to desist from activities that threaten the environment and the continued existence of planet Earth. Igwe Iweka gave the warning on October 29, during the Anambra State Model Schools Recycling Initiative, themed “Clean Schools, Brighter Futures,” held at Ire Central School, Obosi.
The monarch expressed concern over the environmental consequences of human activities, particularly those contributing to the destruction of the ozone layer and exposing the earth to harmful effects of the sun’s rays. “I wrote a book about how aliens relocated to the earth because they destroyed their own abode. Now our human activities are destroying the ozone layer, causing the sun rays to affect us negatively.
If we don’t fight the things that destroy our ozone layer, maybe two hundred years from now, our earth will be endangered. But the work of the recyclers will balance the earth; it will make it not to die. But I am urging everybody to plant trees to protect our planet earth from environmental degradation,” Iweka said.
The Anambra State Commissioner for Environment, Dr Clems Aguiyi, expressed satisfaction with the state-wide environmental initiative for schools, which commenced at Ire Central School, Obosi. Aguiyi urged the school’s management, teachers and pupils to maintain a clean environment, describing environmental cleanliness as a responsibility entrusted to humanity by God.
He emphasised the importance of cultivating good environmental practices among pupils, noting that maintaining cleanliness was essential to promoting healthy living and protecting the environment.
In her remarks, the Headmistress of Ire Central School, Mrs Ngozi Molokwu, said the initiative would educate pupils on the economic benefits of recycling and encourage them to develop positive environmental habits from an early age.
“This environmental initiative will teach our children from the tender age that waste is not waste, but wealth; that plastic, paper and bottles can be sorted, recycled and reused. You are not just launching a waste collection point today, you are planting environmental consciousness in the next generation,” Molokwu said.
The President of the Anambra State Waste Recyclers Multi-purpose Cooperative Society (ASWARCOOP), Pst. Ben Agape, disclosed that the organisation had embraced the vision of the state Commissioner for Environment and partnered with the government to implement environmental protection projects in schools. He explained that the partnership was aimed at promoting recycling, encouraging responsible waste management and creating environmental awareness among pupils.
Earlier, students of Choice Immaculate Secondary School (CIDS), Obosi, presented a drama highlighting the dangers of indiscriminate waste disposal, particularly the consequences of dumping refuse in drainages. The event culminated in the unveiling and inauguration of the recycling initiative by Igwe Chidubem Iweka (Eze Iweka III), the traditional ruler of Obosi and Chairman of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council.
The presentation also demonstrated how waste materials could be converted into useful products, encouraging pupils to embrace recycling as a means of protecting the environment and creating economic value. Other schools that participated in the event included Union Secondary School, Obosi; Community Secondary School, Obosi among others.
Chiedu Uche Okoye is of the Anambra State Ministry of Information and Value Reformation
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