Why we chose climate action to commemorate Commonwealth Day — British Deputy High Commissioner

Deputy British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Ben Llewellyn Jones has described climate change as a generational challenge and as a demonstration of the UK’s strong commitment to tackling climate change, the British High Commission in Nigeria has marked this year’s Commonwealth Day celebration by planting a tree in a nature park in Lagos.

The commemorative tree planting took place at Lufasi Nature Park in Lekki, last Thursday. The event also witnessed a debate involving a number of secondary schools in Lagos on collaboration, competition and sustainability, as well as the release of two endangered owl species into the wild. The owls were rescued from hunters who had killed their mother.

“We are here to celebrate Commonwealth Day — it is the year of youth as well as the year of celebrating sustainability. We’ve come to Lufasi, a great natural space in Lagos to plant a tree as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy which is an initiative established by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and is part of our effort to support conservation and biodiversity around the world,” Llewellyn Jones said.

Speaking on the involvement of school children in the event, Head Trustee of Lufasi Nature Park, Desmond Majekodunmi, said, “It is essential to create awareness among children about the utmost need to tackle climate change head-on. Climate change has been called the biggest issue humanity has ever faced. This is coming from the United Nations itself, as well as governments around the world. It is the biggest existential threat humanity has faced.”

Lufasi Nature Park started as a farm about 25 years ago but was converted into a park with the support of the state government.

Commonwealth Day is the annual celebration by the British Commonwealth of Nations since 1977 often held on the second Monday in March.