Every year, 22 of April mark the Earth Day Celebration across the globe. The United States started a movement with the aim of preserving the earth,  the movement engaged people in various activities from the planting of trees to choosing bicycles over vehicles.

In as much as the Earth day is generally celebrated across the world, in Africa, there is very few country specific projects and activities that are implemented to contribute towards preserving the earth. On a positive note there were Active Citizens who do a lot of campaign online, with some mobilizing a few people to raise awareness.

Narrowing further down to my nation, Nigeria is the most populous nation in the African Continent and yet like any other African country Nigeria is doing little to preserve the earth.

This informed my decision to contribute my own quota towards the preservation of the Earth. By so doing, I hope to influence individuals, Non-profit making Organizations, Government Institutions as well as others to work towards the same end.  

It was another coincidence , five weeks ago March 19 during the Earth Hours day was my departure from Nigeria for the President Obama's Young African Leaders Initiative at Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration GIMPA, Accra, Ghana where I was shortlisted among 14,000 applicants as part of 105 participants across West Africa to attend, the Earth Day celebration 22^nd of April, 2016 was also my departure back to Nigeria, regardless of this I proved myself as a passionate and enthusiastic Global Citizen, by making the Earth Day Unique in itself.

The YALI program built my capacity and enabled me to implement my plans of leading the change towards preserving the Earth.

1.         I sensitized 56 YALI Participants who  are the the future of Africa, from eight West African Countries Burkina Faso, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Serria Leone, Nigeria, Togo and  The Gambia on the reason and importance of The Earth Day, focusing on five points

a.         Economy and the environment: If a nation is going to have a stable ecomomy, the activity has to be carried out on the planet earth. The natural resources all reside on/in the earth, agriculture is done on the earth, industries are located on the earth and their waste products are deposited on the earth, for this reason, the earth should be well managed and protected.

b.         Earth and the Future Unknown: The rate of environmental degeneration is alarming in Africa, if it continues this way our unborn children will reap the fruits of their father?s negligence.  Let?s protect our future by preserving our environment.

c.         We live on this planet earth: A man that takes care of your basic amenities, food, house and clothing should be honoured. The earth gives us these amenities free of charge, let?s discharge our duties by protecting it also.

d.         Environmental negligence = the death of non – renewable resources: Our natural non-renewable resources are running out to our own detriment, due to our negligence in protecting the earth in our own capacity, the common run-off event ?The Earth Day 2016? is not properly celebrated in Nigeria, ?Until we stop majoring in minor and minoring in major? then our non-renewable resources would be preserved.

e.         Predicted Fact: Scientist has predicted a significant earth trauma by the year 2020, which is the key reason we have to contribute our part as Active Citizens.

After the sensitization project, the 56 participants pledged to continue to create awareness in the subject area as soon as they arrive in their respective countries.

2.         I created awareness of the celebration after boarding, before we take off from Kotoka International Airport, Ghana, using the #EARTHDAY2016

3.         I stepped down the sensitization I did in Accra to my community children and the volunteers under my coordination on the 23rd of April 2016.

Among the few states in Nigeria that celebrated the Earth Day were Imo State, as the Deputy Governor of the State, Prince Eze Madumere has advised Nigerians to embrace environmental friendly life style, where he had an event that he spoke against bush burning that is common in the state and other practices that pollute the environment and pose health hazards to the people. He said in his speech ?On 2016 Earth Day celebration, which coincides with the signing ceremony for the Paris Agreement on Climate Change at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, which he said is with a view to limiting global temperature rise, he called on the general public to, as practicable as possible, engage in activities that is environmental friendly.

He however hailed Governor Okorocha for launching ?Imo My Pride Project?, which promotes beautification of environment including planting of trees, which is in tandem with the Theme of 2016 Mother Earth Day celebration – Trees for the Earth.

Emphasizing on the importance of trees, the number two citizen of Imo state said, trees absorbs excess and harmful carbon dioxide, odors, pollutant gases, filters the air for clean breathing among other things.?