By: Nicholas Johnson & Chris Morrill
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febrero 22, 2019
Graduate Fellow Nicholas Johnson & Akili of Black Lives Matter of Los Angeles.
In January 2019, Grassroots International attended Nigeria’s National Summit on Water as a Human Right: From Resistance to Real Solutions Against Corporate Control co-organized by Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria and Corporate Accountability. Solidarity Program Officer Mina Remy and graduate fellow Nicholas Johnson also tacked on a few days to learn more about the deep history of environmental justice activism in Nigeria.
It was grounding to hear Nigerians elaborate the root causes of ecological destruction in the country and inspiring to witness how frontline communities are fighting denationalization of public resources. We hope these photos adequately capture the resilience of the Nigerian people in their struggle against privatization of water and attacks on the environment for profit. We extend our gratitude to our graduate fellow, Nicholas Johnson, for accompanying us and sharing his gift of photography.
The photo blog below, the first of a two-part series on our recent trip to Nigeria, focuses on the summit. The summit highlighted water privatization in the Lagos state — the largest and richest state in Nigeria. Stopping privatization there is critical to stop the rest of Nigeria and other African countries from privatizing their water as well. Mina and Nicholas joined an international delegation to create links between the struggle in Nigeria with other communities fighting water privatization — including Pittsburgh, PA; Flint, MI; and India.
The opening of the summit was a culturally rooted ceremony of dance and music.
The ceremony continued with the inclusion of guest from the international and local community!
Co-organizers and leaders from across Nigeria, Africa, and members of international civil society welcome summit participants.
Dr. Otive Igbuzor , Executive Director of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development Centre delivers the keynote address to summit participants.
Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria provides contextualizes the struggle for water in Lagos state in Nigeria.
Bode Oluwafemi, Deputy Director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, explains the extent of poor and unequal access to water in Lagos State and how activists are working to change that.
Space is provided for activists and organizers to contribute to the larger conversation by sharing their own experiences and that of their communities’.
Scholar activist & Organizer Nnimmo Bassey of HOMEF and Satoko Kishimoto of the Transnational Institute participate in an panel about the public sector’s participation and tools for good governance.
Segment of the summit included the formation of a “Bill of Rights to Water” written for the people, by the people.
Summit attendants (Nigerian nationals) in town hall style discussion, reviewing the “Bill of Rights to Water” and making on-the-spot edits.
The international delegation included activists from Flint, MI and Pittsburgh, PA; and members of ERA, Corporate Accountability, and Grassroots International, United For Water Justice.
Graduate Fellow Nicholas Johnson & Akili of Black Lives Matter of Los Angeles.
Participants end the summit with a show of solidarity and power.
