First ever Academy in Nigeria!

The first ever Plant-for-the-Planet Academy in Nigeria took place on 28 Febraury 2013, with 55 children from 10 schools participating at the event.

The Academy took place at Infant Jesus Academy, which is a private school with nursery, primary and secondary sections and is located at Kabong within the Rukuba road cosmopolitan community. The environment is rocky and provided a good ground to plant trees for shade. 

The program Manager of the International Center for Accelerated Development Mr. Ochala Sunshine acknowledged the support and Goodwill of the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) in the greening and development of horticulture amongst school students, Plateau state Ministry of Environment in their support to ICAD in the Plant-for-the-Planet Academy, Nigerian Bottling Company (bottlers of Coca cola beverage) for providing all the beverage and table water, NTA TV College for releasing two of their own to cover the event, above all, Plant-for-the-Planet Academy Foundation Germany for providing training materials, T-Shirts, Tree by Tree books, Certificates, and video documentary on the “man who planted trees”.

Goodwill messages were received from proprietors of the participating schools which include:
– Infant Jesus Academy Jos.
– Salvation Private School Jos.
– St. Noble’s International School Jos.
– Covenant Child Academy Jos.
– ECWA Private School Jos.
– Government Secondary School Kabong, Jos.
– Government Secondary School Township Jos.
– Divine Grace Academy Jos.
– ENIC Academy Jos.
– St. Paul’s Private school Jos.

Power-point presentation of the reasons and consequences of climate change was shown to the delight of the children who became passionate about their environment upon watching and receiving education through the slides. Some of the slides looked at floods which dampen the normally dry land while water bodies exceed their usual limits, especially during heavy rain. More light was shed on its impact to the environment and an analogy was drawn to the recent severe floods that led to loss of lives and property in Plateau, Adamawa, Kogi, Ibadan, Anambra and Bayelsa states.

The effects of CO2 were analyzed and its sources were also looked at with the participants making very important inputs on how climate change affects them. For example, Plateau state witnessed heavy rain fall around BarkinLadi, Bukuru and Jos-south in January 2013 which to them is very unusual. More so, the usual severe cold that characterizes the months of January to March was completely absent this year. That on its own was raised by participants as some of the effects of climate change.

After the World Game, and rehtoric training, each group (school) came up with an action plan which was read to the admiration and applause of the audience.

The schools formed tree planting clubs with various names such as:
– Salvation plant for the planet club,
– Student planting club
– Climate Development club
– The Great Ambassadors club
– Green Planters club

 
The program continued with the Ambassador’s pledge, Certificate award ceremony and climaxed with the planting of trees around the play ground of the school to provide shade to children as they played around the playground.
 

Organized by the International Center for Accelerated Development (ICAD)