By Emem Idio, Yenagoa

An environmental rights advocate, entrepreneur, and founder of Zeetin Engineering Limited, Mr. Robert Azibaola, says he wants to use games such as “Tug of War” to create practical awareness on climate change in the grassroots, adding that climate change must have grassroots support.

Azibaola, who noted that every human being has a duty to protect the environment, pointed out that for the campaign of climate change to achieve the desired results, the gospel must be preached to people in the local communities using practical terms for them to have a better understanding.

The environmentalist stated this on New Year Eve in Kolo Community, Ogbia Local Government Area during a “Tug of War” competition among communities in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, organised as part of the burial activities of his mother-in-law, Late Madam Ego Emesua.

He said: ” You must use practical examples to tell them and demonstrate what you mean by climate change. Nature is pulling and human beings are also pulling, if we allow human beings to pull through, nature will die and when nature dies all of us will die. So, I want to use little games to practicalize climate change.

“I have spoken with the Governor of Bayelsa State and he is very happy with what I am trying to do and if I can partner with the state government on this kind of thing, maybe the climate change movement in Nigeria will also be domiciled in Bayelsa State.

“Nobody has thought of this kind of thing that you can use games to attract people and talk to people and get people’s attention. People don’t just gather and allow you to talk to them. Climate change must have grassroots support, it is from the grassroots that you build it up to a national platform, without that you are just speaking grammar because the people do not understand what you are talking about.

“They need to know and you need to tell them practical examples and this grassroots orientation that I am doing is very important to me and gives me peace of mind to know that I have contributed my quota to environment conservation.

“Mind you, these activities are self-sponsored, I have not collected any dime from the government or from any international organization. There are people who are agitating for climate change based on how much they will get from international funding. I am not for that. If you are a human being, you must contribute your quota to nature and make sure before you die you should beat your hands on your chest and say I did my best to pull back the hands of time in respect to climate change.”