Words cannot express the joy on the children’s faces at Wisdom Academy School in Igbudu, Warri, Delta State, following the installation of solar energy systems by Music Declares Emergency US and The ClimateMusic Project to enhance the pupils’ educational experience.
It all started in 2024 when Nigerian musician Idowu Esuku, who resides in Lagos State, visited the school to launch the “Be Cool” Campaign. He has successfully established the “Be Cool Kids Club” both within the school and beyond as part of his efforts to enforce the objectives of this programme, a musical endeavour, which seeks to mobilise young voices in the fight against climate change and inspire them to advocate for a cooler planet.
Wisdom Academy, like many other schools in the majority of the nation’s rural areas, lacks access to essential amenities that facilitate efficient learning, such as electricity, fans and air-cooling conditions, and computers. During the tour, Esuku became irritated when he saw the students’ dehumanising learning conditions.
“I was inspired to light up Nigerian schools because when I see children in rural areas living without access to electricity, it really baffles me a lot,” he said in an interview on Friday, July 4, 2025, during the official launch of the Light-up Nigeria Schools Project in Delta State, which is supported by the Be Cool Campaign.
As an environmental rights activist who has travelled extensively to preach the message of climate change, he said he believes that renewable energy is a critical answer to the energy crisis that is currently threatening sustainable global development.
If the truth is to be told, the Wisdom Academy story is unquestionably one that requires urgent attention. The singer, who is popularly known as Mr. Climate-man, did, however, advise parents not to give up on their children’s academic situation because the solar power they have seen in the school is only the beginning of the project’s execution.
The campaign’s pop anthem – “I Wanna Be ’Cool” – was composed by award-winning songwriters Will Kimbrough and Brant Miller in collaboration with distinguished climate scientists. This song and music video, which has already received 136k+ YouTube views, featured Will Kimbrough and eight world-famous artists, including Jefferson Starship lead singer Cathy Richardson, six-time Grammy nominee John McCutcheon, violin pioneer Scarlet Rivera (formerly with Bob Dylan), and former “The Voice” contestant Raine Stern – plus 2,500 youngsters.
The video was shown at the 2025 EarthX Summit and on a daily basis at COP29 by We Don’t Have Time media. Be cool! The campaign advocates three global areas of action – civic engagement, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and climate education—and encourages everyone to engage with the following nonprofit organisations to help mitigate the growing climate crisis.
More than fifty Nigerian schools and thousands of Nigerian youths took part in the ‘I Wanna Be Cool’ song and music video.
So, it’s fitting that the Wisdom Academy’s low-cost solar power installation, the first of its kind in Nigeria, was carried out by Entric Power System Limited, a solar energy company that promises hope for many.
Jeru Ubrei-Joe, CODAF’s communication officer, is optimistic about the power of young voices and creativity to drive climate action.
According to him, this campaign demonstrates that youth can lead the charge for a cooler and more just planet by combining art and activism to campaign for emissions reductions, promote civic engagement, and demand systemic change.
“We’re not just dreaming of a greener future; we’re building it. Join us in amplifying these voices jointly,” Ubrei-joe stated in a press release made available to EnviroNews. “Let’s turn up the volume on climate justice and ensure every voice is heard because when youth lead, the world listens, and together there’s not one thing that we couldn’t do.”
By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja