DAMISI OJO, Akure
As part of efforts to sensitize the public on the importance of wildlife conservation and waste to wealth inventiveness, Dr. Funso Esan, the former Commissioner for Environment in Ondo state has initiated an art exhibition in Lagos to guarantee massive participation of prospective stakeholders for maximum benefits.
At the event, the Ondo State Goodwill Ambassador for Environment, Ms Olapeju Olayemi’s environmental art initiative titled NO TO EXTINCTION or L’EXTINCTION took centre stage,where a scrapped skyworth TV screen was elevated to priceless canvas to unveil American Eagle coins thorncarving.
While delivering his keynote address, Dr Esan urged African Union to adopt a strong policy for Africa wildlife conservation like what United States of America did to restore the bald eagles in America, which was once teetering on the brink of extinction and have now made a significant comeback.
He explained that both African Bush Elephant and the African Forest Elephant were decimated by habitat destruction and illegal shooting, which was causing their population to decline.
According to him,’ Extinction is forever and the wildlife current endangered state means there is still hope to pull the wildlife back from the brink of extinction, so we need concerted efforts of both government and the public for our wildlife to be protected.
“The thorn carving coins artwork we are showcasing features the stately image of the celebrity United State of America bald eagle, which is glued on the screen of discarded skyworth television screen is to explify both waste to wealth initiatve and how wildlife that are at the risk of disappearing completely can soar back like we saw the soaring back of bald eagle bird in America.
” 1n 2008, USA government minted coins featuring bald eagle image to commemorate the return of bald eagle to America, so in due course, African Bush and Forest Elephants’ return from endangerment will become a success story too”
Ms Olayemi Olapeju, Ondo State Goodwill Ambassador for Environment, told the audience that the artwork was created by NO TO EXTINCTION or L’EXTINCTION artist from Ondo State and the aim was to address the near extinction of African Elephants and promote waste to wealth artwork.
She lamented that the trees that produced the thorns used for carving the American coins have almost disappeared from our forest due to deforestation.
The Ambassador said” It took almost two years to gather the few thorns which herself and her fellow artists, Mrs Bolajoko Ayeni and Mr Charles Olulaja Akeredolu, son of thorn carving inventor, late Chief J. D. Akeredolu were using for reinventing thorn carving.
“We used the eagle coins thorncarving to illustrate wildlife that has made strong return from the brink of extinction, and we transformed junked television screen into valuable art canvas as part of waste-to-wealth artistic creativity to reduce environmental impact of non-biodegradable electronics on our landfill” she explained.
Mr Charles Olulaja Akeredolu, a former art teacher at Methodist High School Owo, explained that the rarity of thorn trees was the major obstacle to the disappearance of thorn carving that his father invented in 1930s, which originated almost the same time that lego toy was created by late Mr. Ole Kirk Kristiansen.
Akeredolu said he immersed himself in using thorn carving for creating unique pieces to resuscitate artistic growth of thorn carving.
An environmental artist, Mrs Bolajoko Taiwo Ayeni, described thorncarving as environmentally friendly.
She said trees were not cut down for carving, stressing that only the thorns that grew on the trees were removed, adding that the tree will still continue to grow.
“Trees are viable nature- based Climate Change Solutions and all proceeds from the sales of thorncarving artwork will be utilized to plant thorn trees as our way of giving something back to nature, at the same time making an active contribution to restoring thorncarving for environmental sustainability” she stressed.
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