Nigerian NGO in name-dropping mess in S/Africa

By Rotimi Ajayi
One of the Nigerian Non-Governmental Organizations present at the on-going Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa on Tuesday tainted Nigeria’s image as it used the name of the Nigerian First Lady, Mrs Dame Patience Goodluck and her African colleagues to invite participants to side event.

The group, Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Studies, had organised discussion forum known as the African First Ladies Forum on Climate Change with a view to make the wives of African leaders lend their voices to the dangerous impacts of climate change on Africa.

The event scheduled for Levubu River Meeting Room at the International Conference Centre drew large attendants of delegates and media crew who longed to hear African ladies speak on the threats of climate change on the people in Africa.

Those who attended the function were said to have been further driven to the venue following the listing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Graca Mandela, Hon Nkoyo Toyo, former United States Vice-President Al Gore, and Kyle Denning of Viability Africa as notable speakers at the event.

It was learnt that after the meeting room was packed full and 10 minutes lapsed without mention any of the African first ladies or other listed leaders, those who came for the event were said to have left the venue in annoyance.

Other NGOs from Nigeria were said to have resolved to formally take the issue up with the Minister of Environment, Hajia Hadiza Mailafia when she arrives tomorrow.