Ecojournalism is...

[Julie, the Citizen] Ecojournalism aims at sharing stories about environment-related issues like, for example, waste management, pollution, global warming. It addresses also important subjects that derive from what affects the nature and the ecosystems. Investigating and explaining about the environment is one angle to talk, inform and alert about health, education, social development, consumption and lifestyle, politics, etc...

[Adeyinka, the Professional] Ecojournalism is a wide range concept encompassing series of issues under the umbrella of global environmental challenges especially as it adversely affects Man & other inhabitants of the Earth.

Ecojournalism, a great partner for Nigeria!

[Adeyinka, the Professional] The role of Ecojournalism is therefore basically attempt to throw up these issues of environmental challenges, with a view of bringing such issues to the front burner using the professional platform of journalism. Basically, not much of these has been achieved either in Nigeria or in most other parts of the world.

[Julie, the Citizen] Nigeria, like all countries, has a responsibility for monitoring and addressing any problem that touches its resources, landscapes and ecosystems. As one of the West sub-saharan lands, it hosts a unique type of nature with mangroves, deltas, arid landscapes etc... and a rich fauna - one of the last population of the drill monkeys in the world lives in Nigeria.

However, this large country suffers from the serious impacts that its fast-growing population and its oil industries in particular have on the nature and the living being - men and animals. Describing the constant pollution from generators in towns, reporting on the excessive imports of consumption goods and all it includes (expensive and energy-consuming transports, lack of locally produced and processed food) are examples of what is eco-journalism in Nigeria

Our ecojournalism experience

[Julie, the Citizen] I had the great opportunity this week to meet and work with professional and passionate journalists, blog writers and communication experts. My perspective is multiple and I like to stress two in particular.

As a citizen I have the responsibility and the right to raise issues that affect my environment, which is the city of Lagos at the moment. My way of living and consuming are choices that impact this environment. I started a small business of homemade jams & chutneys, made exclusively of local ingredients and I recycle glass jars from clients and supporters. I like to share about this experience and I know that I can use platforms like ecojournalism.org to do so.

As a member of the African Digital Library Support Network, I work on supporting institutions like the Nigerian Conservation Centre library to improve its means to inform researchers and children about environment issues and solutions. And I would be delighted to report on any of their progress, notably on ecojournalism.org.

[Adeyinka, the Professional] Having worked as a journalist spanning many years across several related beats, one can only reflect with nostalgia experiences of the past, published articles based on events covered around the world including most especially the Durban Global Habitat Conference held in South Africa way back in 2002, that was perhaps one of my major highpoint of coverage of environmental related issues.

Yes We Can!

[Julie, the Citizen] I realise what and how I can concretely take some steps to continue to "eco-journalise": Tweet and share with my networks about the eco-journalism platform in Nigeria; Report to my organisation ADLSN.org about the link between supporting the biodiversity & environment protection and helping libraries that specialise in that sector; Keep up with local food processing!

[Adeyinka, the Professional] As a News Manager & Coordinating Leader of a large pool of field reporters, I hope to help drive my team mates to focus more on these isues through existing news programs.

And We Are Not Alone...

Adeyinka Amosu recorded the voices of Lillian Agih, who writes for a major Newspaper in Nigeria, Japheth Omojola is an online practitioner, and Bola Akingbehin who works for the News Agency of Nigeria: click here to listen to their view and conception of ecojournalism (also available on this page).

What the fellow eco-concerned professionals and friends say....

"The biggest pollution problem in Nigeria is the environmental waste of oil companies and the Niger Delta region!". Ibraheem Hamza Muhammad, Nagarta Radio, Kaduna, North-Western Nigeria.

"Keep the environment clean, use the waste disposal and avoid bush burning that inevitably affects the ecosystem". Adaku Ibeawuchi, Imo Broadcasting Corporation,Owerri. [About important messages to pass to her nephews and nieces on the environment]

"Ecojournalism is a way of life and not just an occupation. This is for everybody who is concerned with environment, politics, crime..." Lilian Agih, LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPERS