The Ovie of Idjhere kingdom area of Delta State, Dr. Monday Whisky, gave the advice on Monday during Actions for Rivers in Nigeria, in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
He said the theme “Understanding rights of nature of River Ethiope catchment stakeholders towards recognising River Ethiope as a personhood with legal rights, the first in Africa” is apt.
The monarch, who chaired the occasion, lamented the excessive pollution of water sources in the region, which he claimed poses serious threats to sources of livelihood.
He said, “Oil companies, illegal sand dredgers, others operating in Niger Delta should put proactive measures in place to checkmate the pollution of waters in the region.
“River Ethiope is a very beautiful river with high tourism potential which is of great benefit to the state.”
The keynote speaker at the event, Prof Rukeh Akpofure, Vice-chancellor of Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun Delta State, averred that the rights of nature recognise the ecosystems, trees, oceans, animals, mountains and rivers have rights as human beings.
He admonished that there are robust legal rights measures put in place to enhance the status of ecosystems and ensure that they are not abused.
The facilitator of the programme, Dafe Irikefe, of the Earth Law Centre and founder of River Ethiope Trust Foundation, maintained that the event was organised to educate the public to treat the river with personhood as a result of its usefulness to humanity.
A guest at the event, Paul Okpue, commended Dafe Irikefe for his contributions to the development of ecosystems in Delta State and Niger region.
