EPE News

Pangolin Conservation: Epe Set To Mark World Pangolin Day, Feb 18,19

Published

3 years ago

Feb 1, 2022.

Paul Mbagwu

By Babatunde Kaka

Pangolin Conservation: Epe set to mark World Pangolin Day, Feb 18,19 for awareness carnival and WPD celebrations

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the 2022 edition of the World Pangolin Day (WPD) celebration is set to hold in Epe, the Fish basket of Lagos State.

This was revealed to EKO HOT BLOG by the Chairman, Pangolin Conservation Working Group Nigeria (PCWGN), Professor Olajumoke Morenikeji, during her team’s 3-day visit to Epe.

A Pangolin

This online media platform recalls that the team which also included One Health and Development Initiative, OHDI, led by Dr Kikiope Oluwarore had gone to see the notable Obas, the market leaders and religious leaders on a familiarisation visit, revealing that World Pangolin Day would be celebrated extraordinarily.

Stating that the significance of the visit to Epe was for the love of Pangolins, the Zoologist noted that it was important to come down to the base, Epe, where the action is taking place, to ensure that a lot of awareness births in the grassroots.

“As we all know, the world Pangolin Day is approaching and we have sat down and thought that this year, we would bring World Pangolin Day Celebration to Epe because of Epe’s significance.

“Epe is a place where you have the wet market, a place where wildlife is being sold. We know that it is a place where we have found in the past that Chinese men come to buy Pangolins.

“I think it is about time that we begin to take serious action, so, we are going to where the action is. We want this community to begin to think differently when it comes to wildlife.

“We do not want our wildlife to go into extinction, so we are here this year to celebrate World Pangolin Day in a big way so that we can pass the message on,” she said.

Professor Morenikeji adoring a pangolin.

Professor Morenikeji, who expressed satisfaction towards the warm reception her team got from traditional leaders and community stakeholders during her stay in Epe, also disclosed her expectations.

“Since I’ve been here, I have seen that they are a very cooperative people, I am amazed at the level of cooperation we have received, the Obas received us very well and I’m so happy and excited about that. Even at the market, we were well received.

“I see that we are going to have a very big celebration and it is going to be a beautiful time. On Friday, February 18th 2022, we are planning a carnival, it is going to be a big carnival in Epe, we are going to go the whole length of Epe and end in the market, where we will create a whole lot of awareness about the pangolins and its endangered status.

“And we are going to have the world pangolin day on Saturday, February 19th and it is going to be in an event hall, the biggest here, it’s the Lagos Theatre and we are hopeful that every stakeholder in Nigeria would be there,” she said.

EKO HOT BLOG recalls that late last year, the wildlife trading section of the popular Oluwo Chief market was sealed by the Federal Ministry of Environment for illegal sales of endangered animals beneficial to the balancing of the ecosystem.

According to the team, besides the carnival, awareness campaign and celebrations, the group would provide training and other necessary support for wildlife traders in the market.

See pictures from the visits: