NIJ Joins ‘One Million Trees’ Campaign to Champion Greener Campus.
By Emmanuel Ashemiriogwa
The Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) demonstrated its commitment to environmental sustainability on Friday, 5 June, by hosting a commemorative event for World Environment Day. Spearheaded by the ‘One Million Trees’ initiative, the programme sought to foster a culture of environmental stewardship among students and staff.
The event was themed “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future,” aligning with this year’s global focus, “Nature is not optional.”
Representatives from the One Million Trees initiative delivered an engaging awareness talk, underscoring the critical necessity of reforestation in an urban landscape like Lagos.
Emphasising the collective responsibility to preserve the planet, the officials stated, “Earth is our home, so we need to take care of it. Imagine every landlord in Lagos is mandated to have a tree in their house. You know how huge of a difference that would make.”
Adding to that, Deputy Provost of NIJ, Dr Adeboye Ola, reinforced the importance of the exercise by sharing his personal experiences with cultivating economic trees.
He assured the community that the newly planted trees would be meticulously nurtured, allowing future students to benefit from their fruit and shade.
“The space in the institution may not be enormous, but the area of land available will be utilised for maximum greenery,” Dr Ola noted.
During his contribution, the founding lecturer of the school’s environmental club, Ecozone, Mr Anthony Oligbo, welcomed the collaboration.
According to him, such activities are central to the club’s mandate and serve as a springboard for broader campus initiatives.
“This is an opportunity for the school to also prioritise other eco-friendly measures such as plastic recycling cages, etc.,” he added.
Following the seminar, the atmosphere shifted to the school field, where students, faculty, and initiative officials engaged in a practical demonstration of environmental action. More than 20 trees were planted, each thoughtfully tagged with special names and dedicated with prayers to ensure their growth.
This local effort contributes to a broader national strategy; the Lagos State Government, acting under the federal government’s agenda, continues to champion large-scale afforestation across the state.
By integrating these practices into the academic environment, NIJ is playing its part in the wider effort to secure a greener, more sustainable future for the state.
