World Cleanup Day: Students unveil ‘keep Ekiti clean’ drive

Participants. Photo: Abiodun Nejo

Tertiary institution students in Ekiti State have taken an environmental sanitation campaign to markets and streets in Ado Ekiti, urging residents to stop indiscriminate waste disposal and embrace tree planting.

The students engaged market women, commercial motorcycle operators, community leaders and other residents as part of efforts to promote cleaner communities and environmental responsibility.

The campaign, tagged ‘Keep Ekiti Clean, Keep Ekiti Green,’ was held on Wednesday to commemorate World Cleanup Day 2026 under the Ekiti Students Skill Up with YOMA Initiative.

The programme was organised with support from UNICEF through a partnership involving the Ekiti State Government and Generation Unlimited 9ja.

The participating students were drawn from Ekiti State University, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti, Federal College of Education, Iyin-Ekiti, Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, and Ekiti State Polytechnic, Isan-Ekiti.

The Project Lead, Modupe Adetiba, said the campaign was designed to show that protecting the environment requires active participation from residents and communities, not just the government.

She said the involvement of students also showed that young people could identify social problems and contribute to finding solutions within their communities.

Adetiba called for stronger cooperation between government and community stakeholders, noting that environmental initiatives would have greater impact when residents actively participated in keeping their surroundings clean.

She said, “Today, we are raising awareness for Ekiti people – the market women, Okada riders, community leaders and stakeholders – that they should keep their environment clean. We are doing this to commemorate World Cleanup Day 2026.

“Our message is simple – climate action and environmental protection are a collective effort. It is not only the government that should do it. It is every one of us as citizens and as people who should nurture nature.

“Ekiti students are coming out in mass to demonstrate to the people and the community what they are capable of doing. Ekiti students are demonstrating that they are solution providers.”

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She urged residents to dispose of waste responsibly and increase tree planting across communities.

Adetiba added, “We are encouraging our fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers to also contribute to protecting the environment. Plant a tree, and when disposing of refuse, dispose of it responsibly. Don’t dispose of refuse indiscriminately. If you cut one tree, plant another one to replace the tree that you cut.

“We are calling on our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers and all community stakeholders that we all have a role to play in protecting the environment and keeping Ekiti green.”

A representative of the Ekiti State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Olasehinde Oloniyo, said the Ekiti Students Skill Up initiative was primarily focused on youth development, leadership and capacity building.

He said the programme was designed to equip young people with relevant skills and opportunities to improve their employability and participation in community development.

Oloniyo noted that the environmental component was important because the wellbeing of communities was closely linked to the condition of their surroundings.

“The environmental component of the programme is particularly important because the health and wellbeing of communities are closely linked to the quality of their environment,” he said.

He urged residents to complement government efforts by adopting responsible environmental practices, including proper waste disposal, tree planting and protection of vegetation.

A participant, Favour Anjorin, said the exercise helped to raise awareness about environmental sanitation and encouraged residents to adopt practices that could reduce problems such as erosion and flooding.

Another participant, Joel Oluwadunsin, said the campaign was aimed at educating residents on pollution, tree planting and the importance of maintaining clean surroundings for healthy living.

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