There is need for an increase of ocean literacy among Nigerians particularly in the context of the Ocean Decade by the United Nations.
Anthony Akpan, President, Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE), made the submission in Lagos on Thursday, December 14, 2023, during a feedback workshop on a research project conducted on Ocean Literacy in Nigeria.
Akpan said: “We as Nigerians should be mindful of our relationship with the ocean and how the ocean relates with us particularly in this decade of the ocean 2021 to 2030 and to conserve and protect the ocean.”
According to him, “Data collection on Ocean Literacy in Nigeria started in September 2022 till January 2023 with a total of 166 engaged and 119 responses received. Following the summary of some of the results so far analysed.”
“The next step will be for a further expansive and more inclusive stakeholder research which will include ocean governance institutional framework to enable an enabling framework for ocean literacy and ocean governance in Nigeria,” he revealed.
Dr. Emma McKinley of Cardiff University in her address listed some of the challenges hindering Ocean Literacy as “inadequate information of the importance of oceans in the lives of the people at their disposal. Ocean-related topics are often ignored in classes while there are few ocean scientists involved in education and outreach”.
For this to be addressed, Mckinley suggested that “people must be able to understands the essential principles and fundamental concepts about the ocean. People must be able to make informed and reasonable decisions regarding the ocean and its resources, among others”.
Adekunbi Falilu, a researcher with Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), is of the opinion that the awareness stage is very germaine to this advocacy because it is when you have the right information that you will know how best you can protect the continental shelf.
“As a further on from this workshop we look forward to a more inclusive survey or a better understanding.
“The policy makers should also have a better perspective on what the ocean offers us and do more on the legislation in favour on the sustainability especially with respect of the UN Ocean Decade for Sustainable Development.
“On issue of its importance to the economy of Nigeria, the researcher opined: “The ocean offers Nigeria a lot of opportunities in respect to the Blue Economy, talking about tourism, marine transportation, and food security, among others. What is more important is the need to have more understanding on how to tap into that opportunity and be reliance for sustainability.”
A participant, Mr. Adenigba Henry Oluwarotimi, Executive Director, Humanity Family Foundation for Peace and Development (HUFFOED), said: “The research feedback is a laudable initiative which affords the participants the opportunity to deliberate on the way forward for the Nigerian community to have better understanding of what the ocean offers us as well as the ecosystem services that the ocean gives to us, that is the reason the people have to protect the ocean.”
The collaborative project brought together researchers from Cardiff University, Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation and the Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE) to build on the emerging global ocean literacy research community, identifying a forward-looking research agenda for ocean literacy, albeit in an African context.
By Ajibola Adedoye
