When Climate Change Romances Peace

A boy of five or there about heard the thunder's rumble and tightened his grip on his mother's hand and muttered " Allah ya kau ruwa". ( God please send the rains in Hausa language .)

"Amin" his mother replied with a distant glare on the sky, as though her eyes could strip the sky naked to see if rain was hiding behind the sky's cloudy garment.

This boy, like many of his mates and seniors have been involved in praying for rain. So many Salat- Istisqa (Islamic prayers for rain) had been said lately, that it has become part and parcel of youngsters to get hopeful whenever the sky darkens or the clouds gather.

They apparently miss their childhood pastimes; wadding in the mud. They now have to compete to play in the puddles with thirsty cattle.

Since July, many boys have had to spend some hours at night praying against what seems like a drought. The rains refused to come. When they come, it takes weeks to return.

The first rains came a little earlier than usual, everyone was happy in these part of the Sahel, in North Eastern part of Nigeria. The farmers planted their crops and hoped for great harvests. Then the rains stopped coming.

Now ,they are anxious as their crops are beginning to cry out for rain. It rains and then ceases for a long while. Only two rains were recorded in the month of July that normally has the highest rate of rainfall.

These is not happening only in Yobe state , Nigeria, but in many of the northern states.

This year has also recorded very high temperature. The extreme heat had many children and adults having heat rashes on their skin,streams and Wells dried up and the number of malaria patients increased.

These are all as a result of Climate Change. The lake Chad basin area has shrunked as a result of drought in the 1970s and 1980s and recovering is yet faced with yet another predicament.

Desertification and deforestation poses great threat to the peace in not only the northern region, but to the country at large.

With climate change comes reduced resources like land for farming and fresh water for drinking. This increases migration to regions were these are more. As at 2021, more than 200,000 Nigerians have been displaced into neighbouring Niger due to Fulani herdsmen migrating in search of pastures and water for their livestock.

With migration comes the survival of the fittest. The stronger tries to over power the weak. Fulani herdsmen's conflicts with other enthnic tribes for resource control in the Northeast and North Central Nigeria has gone on for a while unabated. With heightened suspicion of the herdsmen taking over other people's ancestral lands, peace had been thrown to the back seat. These can be directly or indirectly linked to dwindling resources.

Last year, many States experienced floods. The floods affected the harvest. Many farmers got little or nothing. The rise in food prices is a reflection of the poor harvest. If the rains do not normalize, it will spell more doom coupled with the increase in fuel prices. Food might be out of the reach of ordinary people.

This will tell on the peace of the nation. For hungry people will be prone to doing anything to eat. Hungry people are vulnerable to being recruited into terrorism ( which has impoverished the North Eastern Nigeria already) , many citizens take up arms to defend themselves against kidnappers and bandits. Early marriage and girls dropping out of school will increase.

And we know too well that women and children are more affected by any type of conflict.

Already, these menances are affecting a large part of the North West and North Central.

As David Attenborough said

"If we continue on our current path, we will face the collapse of everything that gives us our security- food production; access to fresh water; habitable, ambient temperature; ocean food chains" .

" Please make no mistake, climate change is the biggest threat to security that humans ever faced". ( UN Security Report 2021.)

These words show how great a threat Climate Change is to not only Nigeria, but the world . Though Nigeria contributes not so much to the green house emissions, it faces the threat nonetheless. And exacerbated by population growth, natural disasters, fragile economy and weak and poor leadership , Nigeria is vulnerable to severe effects of Climate Change until we all rise to action.

Many human factors can be improved on.

Afforestation: Individuals can take initiative to plant trees. For every one tree cut, two should be planted. This will reduce deforestation.

Renewable sources of energy: Solar energy is a great alternative. This is more environment friendly, though expensive currently. Even our transportation can be powered by natural gas and solar.

Borehole Pumps: If built for rural communities it will provide a clean source of water and reduce migration.

Drainage system: Town planning with proper drainage system will combat flooding and reduce malaria.

Building of dams and harvesting rain water:. This will combat drought and famine. As farmers can farm during and after rain season.

Plus the Green Wall project signed by the Mohammed Bihari 's government with other countries should be implemented to the letter by the present administration.

Peace building and Conflict Resolution should be done in areas affected by conflict. Justice needs be served for regions affected by conflict. People should be able to trust in the justice system.

Utilization of Agriculture Extension officers to teach locals more environmental friendly methods of farming instead of the practices that degrade the earth and cause erosion.Then more lands will be available for farming.

Our earth needs us to be a little more responsible. We obstruct nature's circle when we do not care for it. Our irresponsibility today will be our challenges tomorrow.

We do not want to forget how it feels to walk on the grasses, breathe fresh air in the country side not Wade in the streams.

And our little boy and his friends will sleep at night. He will be intrigued by the beauty of nature and not be saddled praying for rain. If he has to pray, it will be for things other than for the rain to come.