Adenike Oladosu

"No leader should forfeit the future of younger generation."

"As youths, we are a powerful force and our actions can make a huge difference."

"Wherever there are security issues arising from the environment, the women are always the default victims."

"I believe education is a powerful weapon that we can use to conquer climate change."

"If international representatives don’t recognize the current dangers of climate change in African countries, there will be global repercussions."

"I have to take action because it is about my future and the future of other young people like me. We have to demand for urgent action from them. It is our right; we deserve to live in a healthy and egalitarian planet"

"We have less than 12 years from now to take immediate action on the climate crisis. If we fail to do so by 2050, we are heading to a path of no return – our species are in danger, food production will decline and it can result in famine. Climate change is like a time-bomb"

"As youths, we are a powerful force and our actions can make a huge difference. Thus, I am calling on young people to come out en-masse and demand for [urgent] climate action from [African] leaders. It is happening all over the world, youths have the power to influence many things and make our leaders listen to us"

"I found that many people including university graduates didn’t know what climate change was about; after I engaged them they were able to understand that climate change was real and happening"

"Most African leaders have signed the Paris Climate Agreement; now it is time for our leaders to back up their commitments with urgent actions. Most times, our leaders don’t take immediate actions – not until things have gone beyond control. As the days pass by, we are approaching 2050 – a point of no return – and the elastic limit of climate action. We must act now"

"No one is immune to the climate crisis. The more we delay in acting on the climate crisis, the greater the loss and damage"

"They should not play politics with the climate crisis. Now that they are in power, they should do whatever they can to act on the climate crisis. They should put people over profit rather than postponing the climate crisis into the future"

"There were these terrible clashes and people on both sides were losing everything"

"But what struck me most was how few people connected the dots. They saw the conflict as purely ethnic or religious. When in reality, it was the climate, this invisible hand, that was squeezing the life out of our land and pitting communities against each other"

"I saw that there was a need for me to take action. I began by asking myself what I could do differently. How could I champion climate action in my community and also involve more young people to begin to take action"

"If you don’t understand the problem, you can’t solve it. That’s why we’re laser-focused on climate education for young people. We’ve taken our message to schools, community gatherings and anywhere else we can find an ear"

"It’s inspiring to see the growing number of people championing climate education in Nigeria and elsewhere"

"We succeeded in bringing more young people to the climate justice space. Now we have many young people who want to do something for their communities and countries as well"

"I know first-hand how it consumes our time, which is why I identify as an ecofeminist. The water crisis disproportionately impacts women, forcing them to trek for very long distances. This hinders our self-empowerment and steals opportunities"

"Women have a lot to give – we cannot solve the climate crisis without women"

"We’ve equipped over 10,000 women with the necessary resources – organic fertilisers, indigenous seedlings, and tools – to become game-changers, channelling their traditional knowledge towards environmental conservation"

"Keep striving, keep dreaming. We are all working together towards a more sustainable, equitable future. The future we envision is within reach, and each action, each voice, is important. That is my message"

"Start locally, find ways to raise your profile, and utilise social media to amplify your efforts. Remember, the real impact of your work is what truly resonates"