Stakeholders in the environment sector have  urged the federal government to designate Katampe hill and waterfall as a national park.

The former head of Civil Service of the Federation, Oladapo Abiodun Afolabi, and other environmentalists made the call during the official unveiling of the ‘Where Rivers Are Born — Save Katampe Hill and Waterfalls, Restoration and Legal Personhood Campaign’ in Abuja.

The event was organised by the Foundation for the Conservation of Nigerian Rivers in partnership with the Earth Law Centre, USA–Africa Programme, and other environmental stakeholders.

Mr Afolabi described the move as vital to preserving Nigeria’s environmental heritage, promoting sustainable tourism, and ensuring long-term water security for surrounding communities.

“Katampe Hill and its waterfalls are more than topographical features; they are sacred birthplaces of rivers that sustain ecosystems, communities, and cultures.

“We are not just unveiling a campaign; we are unveiling a new way of thinking, one that recognises that environmental protection is no longer optional. It is existential,” he said.

Mr Afolabi explained that designating Katampe as a national park would not only protect its fragile ecosystem from encroachment and degradation but would also create new opportunities.

He said that opportunities such as environmental education and scientific research would contribute to Nigeria’s sustainable economic development.

“National park status will guarantee long-term protection of Katampe’s unique landscape, prevent unregulated urban expansion, and transform the site into a national symbol of ecological restoration. It will also serve as a living laboratory for environmental learning and a sanctuary for biodiversity, where nature, culture, and science meet in harmony,” he stated.

According to him, the campaign boldly combines ecological restoration with legal advocacy, including the push for legal personhood for Katampe Mountain and its surrounding ecosystems.

This, he said, was a concept increasingly recognised worldwide, giving rivers, forests, and mountains the right to exist, flourish, and be protected under the law.

Irikefe Dafe, executive director of the Foundation for the Conservation of Nigerian Rivers and Africa Lead, Earth Law Centre, said the initiative marked a new chapter in Nigeria’s environmental movement.

“Today is not just another environmental event. It is a defining moment in our nation’s journey toward ecological restoration and the recognition of nature’s inherent rights,” said Mr Dafe.

Mr Dafe explained that the initiative aimed to restore sacred headwaters and ecosystems, beginning with Katampe hill and waterfalls. 

He added that the initiative advocated for the legal recognition of rivers and freshwater ecosystems as living entities, and for reconnecting people, especially youth, with rivers as sources of life and spirituality.

He noted that the legal personhood campaign, supported by environmental lawyers, civil society organisations, and traditional custodians, aligned Nigeria with a growing international movement. He said it included countries such as Ecuador, New Zealand, India, and Uganda, where ecosystems have been granted legal rights.

“Katampe Mountain is not only the geographical centre of Nigeria; it is the heart of a rising environmental awakening. This is where a new paradigm can begin, one that challenges us to see rivers not as property, but as living entities deserving of dignity, voice, and guardianship,” he said.

Dafe outlined the foundation’s commitment to landscape restoration, community education, legislative advocacy, and partnerships with government institutions, civil society, academia, and traditional leaders.

He called for immediate action to prevent further degradation of the mountain and warned that the rivers and mountains that citizens failed to protect today would become the tragedies they struggle to explain to their children tomorrow.

Austin Maho, the vice chairman of the Katampe Residents Association, pledged the residents’ full support for the campaign.

Mr Maho described the initiative as a timely intervention to halt years of encroachment and degradation around the mountain.

He said, “Over time, we have found that there has been serious encroachment on this hill, destroying its natural environment. We must come together to preserve this natural beauty, in harmony, without rancor or bitterness.”

Mr Maho, therefore, pledged the support of the Katampe Residents Association to the movement, assuring the organisers of continued synergy.

(NAN)