Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh | |
---|---|
Born | Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh |
Nationality | Nigerian |
Other names | Ashegbofe |
Education | Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. University of Kent, UK |
Occupation | Conservationist |
Years active | 2005–present |
Known for | Wildlife conservation and forest preservation. |
Notable work | Primatology |
Awards | She won a Whitley award in 2020. |
Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh is a Nigerian conservationist [1] [2] who won a Whitley award in 2020. [3] [4] [5] She is the director [6] of South West and Niger Delta Forest Project, a conservation program for endangered primates as the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee, Red colobus monkey(Piliocolobus epieni) and Benin potto in the respective regions. [7] She has actively been in Nigeria conservation for the past 15 years. [8] [9]
Ikemeh has been involved in the establishment of two protected areas in Nigeria: a IUCN category II PA in Ekiti State [10] and a community conservation area in Bayelsa State, [11] Niger Delta, Nigeria.
The flag of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was designed in 1959 and first officially hoisted on 1 October 1960. The flag has three vertical bands of green, white, green. The two green stripes represent natural wealth, and the white represents peace and unity.
The Ijaw people, otherwise known as the Izon people, are an ethnic group majorly found in the Niger Delta in Nigeria, with significant population clusters in Bayelsa, in Delta, and in Rivers. They are also found in other Nigerian states like Ondo, Akwa Ibom and longtime migrants in Edo State. Many are found as migrant fishermen in camps as far west as Sierra Leone and as far east as Gabon. Population figures for the Ijaws are placed at just over 8 million, accounting for 7% of the Nigerian population. They have long lived in locations near many sea trade routes, and they were well connected to other areas by trade as early as the 15th century.
Delta State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Named after the Niger Delta—a large part of which is in the state—the state was formed from the former Bendel State in August 27, 1991. Bordered on the north by Edo State, the east by Anambra and Rivers states, and that south by Bayelsa State while to the west is the Bight of Benin which covers about 160 kilometres of the state's coastline. The state was initially created with 12 local government areas in 1991 which was later extended to 19 and now has 25 local government areas. Asaba as its state capital located along the River Niger on the northeastern end of the state, while the state's economic center is Warri on the southwestern coastline.
Ekiti State is a state in southwestern Nigeria, bordered to the north by Kwara State, to the northeast by Kogi State, to the south and southeast by Ondo State, and to the west by Osun State. Named for the Ekiti people—the Yoruba subgroup that make up the majority of the state's population—Ekiti State was formed from a part of Ondo State in 1996 and has its capital as the city of Ado-Ekiti.
Bayelsa is one of the states in southern part of Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta region. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from Rivers State, making it one of the newest states in the federation. It shares a boundary with Rivers State to the East and Delta State to the west, with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean dominating its southern borders. It has a total area of 10, 773 km2. The state comprises of eight Local Government Areas. they are Ekeremor, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Yenagoa, Nembe, Ogbia, Sagbama, hi Brass and Southern Ijaw. The state borders Rivers State, of which it was formerly part, and Delta State.
Red colobuses are Old World monkeys of the genus Piliocolobus. It was formerly considered a subgenus within the genus Procolobus, which is now restricted to the olive colobus. They are closely related to the black-and-white colobus monkeys, and some species are often found in groups with the blue monkey. The western red colobus is frequently hunted by the common chimpanzee.
The western red colobus, also known as the bay red colobus, rust red colobus or Upper Guinea red colobus, is a species of Old World monkey in West African forests from Senegal to Ghana. All other species of red colobuses have formerly been considered subspecies of P. badius. It is often hunted by the common chimpanzee. In 1994, western red colobus monkeys infected many chimpanzees with Ebola virus when the chimpanzees hunted the monkeys as prey.
Pennant's colobus or Pennant's red colobus is a species of tree-dwelling primate in the family Cercopithecidae. It is endemic to tropical Central Africa. Three subspecies have traditionally been recognised but its distribution is peculiarly disjunct and has been considered a biogeographical puzzle. with one population on the island of Bioko, a second in the Niger River Delta in southern Nigeria, and a third in east-central Republic of Congo. It is found in rainforests and marshy forests. It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting for bushmeat. One subspecies, bouvieri, is rated as critically endangered; although it was last photographically documented in 2015, it may be on the brink of extinction.
From year 2000 to 2005, Nigeria had the highest rate of deforestation in the world as 55.7% according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). Nigeria has biodiversity in abundance which makes it thrive consideringly well. In 1950s, large areas of land were quite reserved as a protected area but unfortunately they no longer exist. Biodiversity has been greatly destroyed by deforestation, degradation, encroachment and conversion of land into other uses due to the increase in demand of the fast rising population in the country.
The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee is a subspecies of the common chimpanzee which inhabits the rainforest along the border of Nigeria and Cameroon. Male Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees can weigh up to 70 kilos with a body length of up to 1.2 metres and a height of 1.3 metres. Females are significantly smaller. Like the nominate subspecies, the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee has been classified as Endangered by the IUCN, indicating a high risk of extinction in the near future.
Ogbia is a Local Government Area of Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Ogbia in the south of the area at 4°39′00″N6°16′00″E.
The Ebo Wildlife Reserve is protected area and proposed national park in Cameroon that covers 1,417 km2 (547 sq mi) of lowland and montane forest mosaic with a high proportion of disturbed forest. The critically endangered Preuss's red colobus has been recorded within the confines of the proposed park.
The Niger Delta red colobus is a critically endangered species of colobus monkey endemic to the western part of the Niger Delta. It is threatened by hunting and habitat loss.
The Edumanom Forest Reserve is an area in the Niger Delta region of South East Nigeria, that is home to some of the last chimpanzees in Nigeria. It covers part of the old Nembe Kingdom, which is now divided into the Nembe and Brass local government areas, in Bayelsa State.
Niger Delta University (NDU) is in Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State in southern part of Nigeria. It was established in 2000. It is a Bayelsa state government-funded university. In 2002, It was established by Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, then governor of Bayelsa state. It has two main campuses, one in the state capital, Yenagoa, which contains the law faculty, and the other in Amassoma. It also has its teaching hospital known as Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) in Okolobiri.
Izon (Ịzọn), also known as (Central–Western) Ijo, Ijaw, Izo and Uzo, is the dominant Ijaw language, spoken by a majority of the Ijaw people of Nigeria.
Senator Henry Seriake Dickson is a Nigerian politician and a Lawyer. He is the Senator representing Bayelsa - West in the 9th National Assembly. He was the Governor of Bayelsa State in southern Nigeria from 14 February 2012 to 14 February 2020. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 2007 until 2012.
Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei is a Nigerian professor and the former acting managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission. He was appointed by the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari on 19 February 2020.
Iroro Tanshi is a Nigerian tropical ecologist and conservationist who studies the ecology and diversity of African bats. She is a co-founder of, the Small Mammal Conservation Organisation (SMACON), a Nigerian NGO, where she is Director of Research Programs and mentors students and peers in species conservation.