Darazo community plants 4,000 trees, champions climate action, rallies support for Remi Tinubu’s Green Nigeria Challenge

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By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi

Darazo community in Bauchi State has launched an intensive sensitization campaign to plant and sustain not fewer than 4000 different species of trees in order educate residents on the dangers of climate change, deforestation, and the importance of sustaining tree plantations.

The initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Green Nigeria Challenge championed by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, under the theme “Go Green Today for a Greener Tomorrow.”

The campaign seeks to mobilize citizens to take collective action against deforestation and its devastating effects on the environment, livelihoods, and local climate.

Speaking during the tree plantation sustainability and watering exercise on Wednesday in Darazo, the Chairman of the Tassallah Care Foundation, Architect Usman Yau Shehu, urged residents to take ownership of the trees planted within their communities.

According to him, “Every tree we plant is everyone’s responsibility to nurture. The future of our environment depends on how well we protect these trees.”

He also explained that for four consecutive years, the foundation has engaged in reforestation activities to combat environmental degradation, noting that trees are essential for soil stabilization, water retention, and clean air.

Shehu disclosed that thousands of trees have already been planted around the Eid ground, along Muhammadu Buhari Bypass, and within Darazo town as part of the community’s contribution to the national green drive.

To sustain the effort, the foundation supported 17 local organizations with ₦50,000 each and distributed 250 watering cans to 82 groups for plantation maintenance. Plans are also underway to expand the initiative to all 11 wards in Darazo Local Government Area.

The Emir of Darazo, Alhaji Ibrahim Bababa, represented by Alhaji Ahmed Jarmai, commended the effort and urged residents to protect the newly planted trees, warning that indiscriminate cutting could worsen desert encroachment and ecological decline.

An Islamic Cleric, Malam Musa Aljawadi encouraged citizens to emulate the Prophet Muhammad’s teachings by planting trees, describing it as a form of Sadaqah Jariyah (continuous charity).

The Imam reminded participants that tree planting is not only an act of environmental protection, but also, a spiritual duty encouraged in the Holy Qur’an, one that brings blessings both in this world and the hereafter.

In his remarks, Ambassador Lawan Bappah, a community elder, applauded the foundation’s leadership in combating deforestation and urged residents to see tree planting as a civic duty for a healthier environment.

He stressed that, “As the rainy season comes to an end and dry winds begin to sweep across parts of Nigeria, the residents are taking climate action into their own hands.”

Living in a semi-arid region where desert encroachment poses a daily threat, hundreds of community members have come together to sustain more than 4,000 trees planted along Muhammadu Buhari Way.

Darazo, located in the central part of Bauchi State and bordering the fringes of the Sahara Desert, faces harsh environmental challenges. Strong winds, sandstorms, and prolonged dry spells have made life increasingly difficult for residents.

In response, the community supported by local volunteer organizations, recently embarked on an ambitious tree-planting campaign. About 4,000 trees were planted to restore green cover and curb the effects of climate change.

Today, men, women, and youths turned out in large numbers to water the young trees, a crucial step to ensure their survival through the coming dry season.

Community leaders are calling on the Federal Government, through the Great Green Wall project, as well as non-governmental organizations, to support their efforts with more seedlings and resources saying that such partnerships are vital as the effects of climate change continue to intensify in their region.

For the people of Darazo, this initiative is more than just tree planting, it’s a symbol of hope, resilience, and their shared commitment to a greener, more sustainable future.