River Ethiope Festival Week and Katampe Mountain & Waterfalls Abuja Campaign: Updates from ELC’s Africa Program
In late September and early October, 2025, coinciding with World Rivers Day, Earth Law Center (ELC) Africa Program Lead Irikefe V. Dafe sponsored events as part of River Ethiope Festival Week. Mr. Dafe is also the Founder of River Ethiope Trust Foundation and Executive Director of the Foundation for the Conservation of Nigerian Rivers.
Celebrating the 34th year of the River Ethiope Trust Foundation, as well as the fourth anniversary of the Stakeholders Declaration for River Ethiope Rights, the week featured events to raise public awareness about the rights of River Ethiope through community storytelling, arts, clean-up drives, and educational activities. It celebrated the spiritual and ecological value of the river and sought to foster deeper community connections.
Dancers at a World Rivers Day event on the bank of the Igbesa River
ELC Africa Program Lead Mr. Irikefe V. Dafe (foreground) at the opening ceremony for the celebration of World Rivers Day in Abuja, Nigeria
This year’s theme for World Rivers Day was “Clean Rivers, Healthy Communities,” and an opening ceremony was held at the offices of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
“Protecting our rivers is safeguarding our health, livelihoods, and economy,” said Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev, FNSE, the Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation.
In a goodwill message, Mr. Dafe applauded Nigeria’s rich network of rivers while also warning of threats such as pollution, deforestation, and climate change. He called for stronger water governance, river restoration, environmental enforcement, and sustained public education, stressing that the health of Nigeria’s rivers reflects the health of its people, economy, and environment.
Mr. Dafe will host a two-day capacity-building workshop for members of the River Ethiope Guardian Council (REGC) in early November. This workshop will provide intensive training on environmental legal rights, guardianship responsibilities, ecological monitoring, and Indigenous knowledge systems. It aims to empower REGC members with the tools and legal understanding necessary to protect River Ethiope in line with Earth law principles.
Dancers at a World Rivers Day event on the bank of the Igbesa River
In addition to the ongoing campaign for ecological health and legal personhood for the River Ethiope, Mr. Dafe is launching the “Save Katampe Mountain and Waterfalls Abuja” initiative, promoting a Rights of Nature framework, as well as research and restoration efforts for this beautiful area that lies at the geographic center of Nigeria. This new campaign aims to initiate public and policy advocacy for the recognition and protection of Katampe Mountain and Waterfalls as a natural sacred site. A launch event on October 24, 2025 includes a public hike, community dialogue, and campaign branding.
To learn more about Earth Law Center Africa, please visit the Africa Program page.
