Nigerian Environmentalist Wins International Award

A Nigerian environmental activist, Mr. Odigha Odigha has won the African Prize for an international award for his efforts in the campaign for a moratorium on industrial logging, which was devastating the forests of Cross River State, South-Eastern Nigeria.

He was one of the eight recipients of the 2003 Goldman Environmental Prize, with winners selected from different continents. At the award ceremony which was held in California, United States of America, on Monday April 14, 2003, Mr. Odigha was presented with the cash prize of $125,000.00 (One Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand dollars).

At the ceremony, Mr. Odigha was cited for his dogged struggle to stop industrial logging in his native Cross River State. Hitherto, logging activities in the region had continued to deplete the last remaining rain forests in Nigeria and posed a threat to the existence of a population of about 1.5 million Nigerians who lived in 2400 native communities. Industrial logging had also reduced animal habitat in the forests including the world's most endangered gorillas and 20 percent of world's butterfly species.

Meanwhile, Mr. Odigha Odigha, through his organization, Coalition for the Environment (NGOCE) a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has also directed his energy into establishing for the affected communities, projects with minimal negative impact on the environment. The communities are being guided to exploit locally available economic opportunities, that do not deplete natural resources.

Goldman Environment Prize awarded by Goldman Environmental Foundation is the world's largest prize for grassroots environmentalists. It has been awarded annually since 1990. To date, 94 people from 57 countries have won the awards. Winners are recognized for the individual courage and sacrifices which they demonstrate in protecting the environment.