Titilope Akosa speaks on why she is into climate change justice advocacy

Barrister Titilope Akosa is the founder and Executive Director of Centre for 21^st Century issues, a Non Governmental organisaion (NGO). In this interview with Prestige International Magazine, the socio justice crusader opens up on various issues including activities of her organization, democracy in Nigeria, climate change issues and the real reason she delved into climate change justice advocacy.

What is Centre for 21^st Century issues all about?

Centre for 21^st Century Issues is a development organization and we are responding and looking into the challenges of 21^st century by addressing quality issues. We address issues like environmental, gender equality issue and looking at education and health issue. Those are basic things that we work on.

Why did you develop interest in environmental issue?

Centre for 21^st Century Issues developed interest in environmental issues because it is area we found out that many people don’t readily go into. It is an area we think we can make life better and habitable for people through direct intervention. For instance, if the environment is clean people will be better for it and it will impact on people’s health.

What are the areas your organization has been touching the lives of the people?

We have been doing a lot of quality advocacy in the area of climate change. We have been attending international climate change programmes. We let the policy makers know that they should consider the grass root in their policy making process, we let them know that peoples matter in whatever they are doing. That is one aspect we have been focal about. We also work with federal ministry of environment to ensure that they carry people along in their environmental programmes. We have been working closely with minister of environment on climate change issues.

As an activist, why are you so much interested in climate change?

If you are talking about activism climate change is number one in activism. It is a human right issue. It is a justice issue when we are talking on how people have manhandled the whole environment at the detriment of the people. Why must we carry the burden while some other people have caused the problem? That is why I’m in climate change today; I’m a climate change justice advocate. Working on climate change will help people to know better on socio justice.

What are the areas you want government to look into critically in the area of climate change?

As the climate change advocate, I want federal government to carry out global standard recommendations on climate change justice and implementations. We want the developed countries to finance developing countries in the area of climate change issues. We want government to utilize various funds available globally to fight climate change so that developing countries can adapt to the effect of climate change. We want government to make beat use of it and ensure that those funds come to Nigeria. Now that government is thinking of transiting to renewable energy I think we should do it right by following all climate change standard recommendations.

Have you been sending proposals to government agencies to sell your various recommendations on climate change?

It is not only about sending proposals; we have had interactions with various government agencies including Lagos State House of Assembly. We are also working with federal ministry of environment on carbon development for Nigeria. We are also working with an agency as an observer to ensure that all the funds meant for climate change are used in the right direction.

What is your assessment of democracy in Nigeria?

My assessment is that I want us as a nation to change our orientation and thinking about governance and politics. Presently people use what they have to get whatever they want. Democracy is expected to be in the interest of the masses. But our present orientation is otherwise. When orientation is changed we will be able to use whatever resources we have efficiently. A lot of people are saying that there is no money; I don’t believe that there is no money, what we need to do is to allocate the money into the right channel. If we do that, things we change in Nigeria. For instance, we don’t need to waste money in importing food; money we waste in importing food can be used in producing the food internally.

What are the areas your training as a legal practitioner is adding value to your climate change advocacy?

It is really adding values, because climate change advocacy is about laws. The two are interwoven, the training as a lawyer is helping so much. I’m involved in this struggle to help humanity. As a human being if you see injustice and you fail to speak up, you are already compromising. The best way out is to champion the course of humanity and that is what I’m actually doing. I’m genuinely interested in the development of Nigeria.