It is no longer news that the world is converging in Sharm El Sheik Egypt to discuss countries’ commitments towards the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accelerated actions to phase out dependence on fossil fuel to maintain the 1.5 degrees Paris agreement to keep the planet safe for all.
Scientists and experts continue to warn that unless drastic steps are taken to curtail human activities contributing to global warming many countries will be lost, ecosystems destroyed, biodiversity lost etc.
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Already impacts of climate change are being felt across the world with increasing global temperature, sea level rise etc.
In Nigeria, climate change continues to impact local communities in diverse ways. Nigeria is experiencing rapid desertification in the North and sea level rise and high level of flooding in the south. So far; 33 states including the Federal Capital Territory have been affected by flooding. The 2022 floods in Nigeria are recorded as the worst flooding crisis ever witnessed in since 2012 with over 1.4 million people displaced, 600 deaths documented and over 2,000 people injured, about 82,035 houses damaged, 332, 327 hectares of land also damaged.
The multiplicity of the impacts of climate change is severe for poor communities most especially the original inhabitants of Abuja. The original inhabitants of Abuja through a decree of the State had lost all rights to customary lands as well as loss of access to land which sustains their farming activities as they continue to face threats of evictions and internal displacement by the government rendering them stateless.
The stateless status of the original inhabitants of Abuja is further exacerbated by the impacts of climate change as they face a dislocation of their local economy and commerce due to the flooding crisis in Nigeria.
Many farmlands of the original inhabitants of Abuja have been completely washed off with crops lost, their streams and other water bodies contaminated, houses destroyed putting them under great stress and exposing them to water and hygiene related diseases, hunger and other social deprivations. The flooding also destroyed roads and local bridges constructed by the indigenous people leaving certain communities completely isolated and inaccessible. In all of these; there is the apathy of emotions shown by the government to address the plight of the original inhabitants of Abuja who are faced with a double jeopardy of state and climate injustice.
Climate change is about survival, so far; the Nigerian government’s actions seem not to recognise the inherent induced threats faced by the indigenous people of Abuja, the potential loss of indigenous food systems, cultural heritage, threats of deaths and extinction of an entire group of Nigerians if urgent steps are not taken to bring indigenous people of Abuja into climate discussions and decision making processes.
The indigenous people of Abuja have rights to life, self-determination, right to indigenous food systems which must be recognised and protected.
The global north must also do well to move away from making watery pledges and commitments and move into actions and implementation. The call and demand for loss and damage funding must be taken seriously by developed countries to help vulnerable indigenous communities build resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change that they contribute little or nothing to.
Bassey Bassey is the Executive Director, HipCity Innovation Centre Nigeria
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