NIGERIAN ARTIST FIGHTS DÉFORESTATION
AGM/Nigeria « Animals are crying because their ecosystem, their
place of living is being taken away by human beings. They are crying in the
wilderness. And as we are creating for our environment, we are enpowering
people ». Olalekan Olasekan
Nigeria has
one of the highest rates of deforestation in
the world having lost around 410,100 hectare per year, over the period 2005 to
2010, according to revised deforestation figures from the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Between 2000 and
2005 the country lost 55.7 percent of its primary forests, defined as forests
with no visible signs of past or present human activities. Logging, subsistence
agriculture, and the collection of fuelwood are cited as leading causes of
forest clearing in the West African country. Odigha Odigha, a forest activist and chairman of Nigeria's Cross River State Forestry Commission told "The rate of deforestation in
Nigeria is quite frightening. What is left is less than ten percent of the
whole country and more than 50 percent of that is in Cross River State, there
will be no forest left in six to ten years if this continues."
Otherwise, nigerian artist Olalekan Olasekan doesn't want to
see trees being cut down and wood being wasted. His art draws attention to the
animals and insects losing their habitats through deforestation.
These animal sculptures are made from sawdust, the material
is plentiful in Lagos due to deforestation unfortunately. Artist Olalekan
Lasekan uses it to highlight environmental damage; he mixes the sawdust with
water to sculpt creations with a message. Today Lasekan’s works cost between
200 and 600 Euro each piece. He’s won numerous awards both for his art, and his
commitment to the environment.
Penda DJIGO/AGM
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