Activists push for indigenous knowledge to solve Nigeria's environmental issues

Environmentalists, scholars, and community leaders are urging the revival and preservation of indigenous knowledge and languages to tackle Nigeria’s growing environmental problems.

This call was made on Thursday during a Wisdom Gathering hosted by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) at the Eti Uwem Ecological Centre in Nkwot Ikot Nseyen, Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The event is part of HOMEF’s 2026 plan focusing on Justice Movement and Power for Socio-Ecological Transition (JUMP). The theme was “Foundations of Language and Indigenous Philosophies for Socio-Ecological Justice.”

Attendees included academics, environmentalists, and local community members, all discussing how language, indigenous knowledge, and cultural practices can influence society's connection with nature.

HOMEF Director Nnimmo Bassey spoke at the gathering, saying that without addressing the language and knowledge systems behind the current ecological crisis, environmentalism will not make real progress. He added that language shapes identities and influences how people understand their world.

PREMIUM TIMES previously reported that the decline of indigenous languages leads to serious issues, often causing poverty and marginalization.

Bassey explained that colonialism did not just take land and labor but also colonized minds, making harmful exploitation of nature seem like development. “Primarily, environmentalism is largely pursued within concepts that retain the very structures that created and sustain the polycrisis confronting the world today,” he stated.

He mentioned that HOMEF’s Wisdom Gatherings aim to “decolonise language and concepts” to support socio-ecological change. He emphasized that JUMP needs a clear language and knowledge system for real transformation.

According to him, indigenous wisdom should not be treated as an extra addition to current environmental discussions but as a key part of decolonizing environmentalism. “We cannot effectively reclaim environmentalism that respects our culture, world views, and identity without decolonising the language and structures of knowledge that incubate, birth, and sustain the crises,” he said.

Bassey urged attendees to question popular environmental terms like “green economy,” “global warming,” “corporate social responsibility,” and “net-zero.” He argued that some of these phrases might hide the reality of environmental harm. He specifically criticized the idea of assigning a monetary value to nature through the green economy.

“If we live a good life, we protect our environment, our neighbours,” he stated. “Green economy means marketing the environment. You can’t get monetary value for life. You will destroy that environment.”

He also argued that the term “global warming” could lessen the urgency of the environmental crisis, suggesting we should talk about global burning instead.

‘Eti Uwem means good life’

Bassey noted that the name of the ecological centre reflects how indigenous ideas can provide new ways to understand environmental justice. He explained that “Eti Uwem,” an Ibibio term, means “good life” or “good living” and represents the idea of living well with nature, other beings, and each other.

He said this concept includes dignity, respect, fairness, integrity, solidarity, and contentment, while also highlighting community ownership and control of local resources. He compared this to economic systems that focus on exploitation and harmful activities.

Bassey mentioned that similar indigenous ideas exist worldwide, such as “Sumak Kawsay” among the Kichwa people in Latin America and the concept of “Buen Vivir.” He also referred to “Sankofa,” an Akan idea symbolized by a bird looking back to pick an egg while moving forward.

This concept emphasizes the importance of returning to history and forgotten knowledge to create a brighter future. “We have to go back to get on the right path to be able to repair the widening fractures entrenched by extractivism and related biodiversity and livelihood losses and erosion of dignity,” he said.

He added, “We may not do everything at once, but we can certainly do one thing at any one time. We will do something today. We will take a step on the ladder to our preferred future.”

‘Abasi Isong teaches reverence for land’

Professor Emmanuel Akpabio, a Geography and Natural Resources Management lecturer at the University of Uyo, stated that indigenous ideas like “Abasi Isong,” meaning “God of the land,” could help rebuild society’s bond with nature. He expressed concern that many communities have dismissed local knowledge for outside concepts.

He explained that “Abasi Isong” means the land is sacred and should be protected. “When we reduce everything that Abasi Isong has bestowed upon us to material things that must be consumed, we lose value,” he said. “When you see it as a place to be exploited, that’s when we have environmental problems.”

Akpabio referenced biblical principles of environmental responsibility, including Jeremiah 2:7, which warns against defiling the land, and Revelation 11:18, which discusses divine judgment against those harming the earth. He pointed out that some traditional practices have historically helped communities protect forests, streams, and ecosystems.

He noted that some forests are called “evil forests” and are protected from human activities, while some streams are preserved through traditional beliefs. “There may be something deeper that we may not understand,” he said.

He also mentioned traditional new yam festival practices as a way indigenous knowledge has maintained ecological balance over time. He urged communities to find valuable aspects of their cultural practices and blend them with modern environmental conservation methods.

“Do not shift ancient landmarks. Let’s see what is best from our culture and integrate it. Integrate our culture into our modern ways of preserving the environment,” he said.

‘Return young people to farming’

Sylvester Akpan, the chairman of the occasion and village head of Ikot Nseyen, who is also a professor of educational technology and library science at the University of Uyo, said communities can fight hunger and unemployment by encouraging young people to return to farming.

Akpan emphasized that development and social change require human effort and urged young people to utilize available land instead of relying heavily on political support. “It takes might and human beings to bring about development or effect changes. We can drive away hunger if we go back to what we used to do,” he said.

He encouraged communities to make farming appealing to young people. “Find a way of encouraging young people to make use of the available land. Forget giving attention to politics for a few cups of rice which will make you spend the whole day there. Encourage back to farm,” he advised.

Indigenous words as environmental safeguards

The gathering also looked into how language, memory, identity, and ecological awareness connect through discussions on “Language as Memory, Identity and Ecological Consciousness” and “Reclaiming Indigenous Knowledge for Today’s Environmental Challenges.”

Mfoniso Xeal, a HOMEF member, shared insights from the discussions, saying that losing indigenous words can lead to losing environmental practices and collective memory. She mentioned the Ibibio saying, “Ukod anem ke ukpuk,” which means “palm wine is best served with a local calabash.” This highlights how indigenous practices promote eco-friendly alternatives to plastic.

Participants also discussed the name “Okoiyak,” which referred to a fishing area before it became the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve. They argued that keeping the indigenous name could remind future generations and authorities of the area’s historical value as a fishing ground and ecological asset.

They pointed out that losing indigenous names could erase critical ecological memories and weaken community ties to natural resources. Another concept discussed was “Ndon,” referring to a community reserve.

In Ikot Nseyen, participants cited “Ndon Uwem” as an example of land owned collectively by the community rather than divided among individuals. They explained that this communal ownership helps prevent the land from being sold off and preserves its biodiversity.

The participants stated that the reserve provides ecological benefits to the community. They urged for such concepts and practices to be documented and preserved throughout Akwa Ibom before they vanish from collective memory.

The gathering called on families and communities to intentionally pass on indigenous knowledge to younger generations via books, folklore, storytelling, and documentation. Participants stressed that preserving indigenous languages should not be seen merely as a cultural task but as vital for protecting ecological knowledge and enhancing community involvement in environmental governance.