A renowned environmental activist in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, Comrade Sheriff Mulade has bagged this year’s Special Recognition Award by the Democracy Newsline Newspaper as the Environmental Activist of the Year, 2024.
Presenting the award of honor to him in his Abuja office, the Chairman/CEO of Michabifem Ventures Limited publisher of Democracy Newsline Newspaper/ Online blog, Chief Olugbemi Femi said the management of the organization working with their team of experts had considered him for the Special Recognition Award considering his contributions to the overall development of the Niger Delta Nigeria and humanity.
He said the award is in recognition of his efforts in raising his voice against environmental pollution and degradation that have almost destroyed the livelihood of the people in the oil rich region.
While responding, Comrade Sheriff commended the management of the organization for finding him worthy to be recognized, stressing that he could not attend the Award ceremony due to the exigency of the work he is engaged in but eulogized the giant efforts of the media outfit to keep the people informed on what goes on in their environment.
He said his non- governmental organization (NGO) is working with different organizations to make the society a better place for people to live, and pointed out that as part of their commitment towards having credible elections, his organization is one of the election’s observers accredited to monitor the upcoming Ondo Governorship Election slated for this Saturday and that 56 persons have been deployed to cover the 18 local government areas of the state.
He further noted that his organization is also working on how to mitigate the effects of the flood that recently ravaged the region leaving many people homeless especially in Niger Delta region that is like a valley where water coming from Kogi, Benue and other states are stores as its resting place.
“We have to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to provide IDP camps for them, what to eat and also encourage them on how to start life all over again’
Comrade Sheriff said they are organizing a football competition tagged “Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Cup” to promote and foster peaceful coexistence among the various ethnic groups in the state, which would commenced 2024 November 16th Saturday to mark World Tolerance Day and would rounded up on the 8th December 2024. He urged the government to do more for the people to breathe fresh air.
Meanwhile, the award ceremony took place on October 9, 2024, at the Banquet Hall of the Merit House Maitama, Abuja, marking the fourteenth anniversary of the media outfit and the sixty-fourth anniversary of Nigeria’s Political Independence.
The event also featured papers on the role of social media in the development of the agriculture sector by Dr. Tunde Arosoyin, National Coordinator of Zero Hunger Nigeria, and on “Nigeria and the personal perspective in politics” by Comrade Bala Ibrahim.
Other recipients of Special Recognition Awards included H.E. Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago, Niger State Governor, HE Mrs. Agyin Agbu Kefas, First Lady of Taraba State, and several other prominent figures.