The Ondo State Government has decried poaching and illegal killing of wild animals for bush meat, warning that the practice could lead to extinction of some rare wildlife.
Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Olumide Kinga, condemned the practice on Tuesday, March 3, 2025, in Ifon, Ose LGA, at an event to commemorate the World Wildlife Day.
The event was jointly organised by the state government and L’Extinction Thorn Carving Makers, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), to draw attention to fast extinction of some wildlife in the state.
Kinga frowned at “the stark reality” of illegal killing of wildlife and bush meat trading in the state.
The Permanent Secretary said that the event was also to celebrate the signing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora in 1973.
“Every year, we must recognise the unique roles and contributions of wildlife to people and the planet and sensitise people on the illegal killing of wildlife for consumption as bush meat.
“The ministry has been collaborating with L’Extinction Thorn Carving Art Creators to sensitise people to appreciate and protect nature because art is not limited to celebrating talent.
“It also plays a fundamental role in raising awareness on nature causes and prompting significant action,” he said.
Kinga said that the aim of the event was also to seek collaboration with stakeholders, including community leaders to foster more open communication with hunting communities.
“The ministry will continue to synergise with heads of Ondo hunting communities, especially in Idanre where the killing of an elephant occurred in 2018, which was described as self defence.
“Cruelty to animals is a crime which our laws frown at,” he said.
In her speech, Mrs. Bolajoko Ayeni, one of the brains behind L’Extinction artwork, stated that nature had always served as a source of inspiration for artists.
Ayeni added that representation of wildlife with thorn carving could provide a unique window of miniature pieces into the natural world.
“Art possesses truly invaluable powers for the transformation and protection of wildlife around the world,” she said.
Mr. Olulaja Akeredolu, an associate in L’Extinction, said that thorn carving could be used to promote economic incentives and offer hunters and youths alternative income sources to reduce reliance on bush meat sales for income.
Akeredolu, while teaching youths and hunters on use of thorns to carve giraffe postures, used a pen knife to meticulously carve intricate designs of giraffe directly onto the thorn’s surface,
He said the proceed of money realised from the sales of L’Extinction thorn carving of wildlife could be used to empower hunters to minimise killing of wildlife and bush meat sales.
Also, Mrs. Olayemi Olapeju, an artist, who spoke on the theme of the 2025 World Wildlife Day – “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet,” said one out of every eight elephants seen in Idanre forest was killed in 2018.
Olapeju, who is the Ondo State Goodwill Ambassador for Environment, said that statistics showed that Nigeria had an estimated 300–400 elephants remaining, while there are approximately 415,000 African elephants left in the world.
Olapeju said that “No To Extinction” art exhibition, which was held recently was to highlight the stark reality of poaching, killing of wildlife and bush meat trading.
“The society needs to accelerate efforts to fight against illegal killing of wildlife and bush meat trading, which is the human-induced reduction of species.
“The elephants in Nigeria are critically endangered and may go into complete extinction in a few years’ time if we don’t put an end to illegal killing and trading of wildlife,” she said.
The event featured art fair for hunters, market women and youths at Osse River Park in Idoani and display of several L’Extinction artworks of critically endangered wildlife and informative art paintings.
The artwork and paintings, Olapeju said, illustrated the detrimental effects of illegal killing of wildlife on the environment.
By Muftau Ogunyemi