Oladosu Adenike, Nigeria

Biography 

Sparked by the shrinking of Lake Chad and its devastating impact on women and girls, Adenike emerged as Africa's leading ecofeminist and climate justice advocate. Her "I Lead Climate Action Initiative" has empowered over 50,000 women across 20+ communities, transforming victims into environmental changemakers. Since 2018, she has been empowering women to be the true custodians of their environment through her "Women and Crisis" blog, which now reaches 100,000+ readers worldwide. Drawing inspiration from Wangari Maathai, Adenike combines grassroots mobilization with high-level advocacy, using remote sensing technology to monitor Lake Chad's changing patterns. Her ground-breaking work connects climate justice, women's empowerment, and wetland protection across West Africa.

Q. What personal experience has shaped or inspired your journey?

As an ecofeminist, it is a daily reality of the climate crisis affecting us. My journey started when I came across the shrinking of Lake Chad following the abduction of 276 school girls in 2014. I also read the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report that gave urgency to the actions that are needed on climate change. I received my undergraduate degree when clashes between the farmers and the herders were more prevalent. I knew that I needed to do something. 

Also, the reality of women walking long distances to get water and firewood and those who are victims of child marriage. Because women have limited land access, it limits their full participation in environmental protection. These realities are not far-fetched, it is a reality.

As a result, as the founder of the"I Leadclimate Action Initiative I believe that when we empower one woman, we are empowering our society, providing women access to resources and making them true custodians of the environment. As a leading African ecofeminist, I am trying to create a safe space for women and girls to carry out their activities without any form of violence, Moving oving beyond being victims to becoming changemakers. I led campaigns and advocacy in Lake Chad that drew the attention of people toward the crisis and rallied them to take the actions needed.

As a fellow of the Panel on Planetary Thinking at Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Germany, I used remote sensing to monitor the changing pattern of the Lake, data that could be beneficial to the millions of inhabitants in the region. Moreso, as an Alexander von Humboldt fellow, I recently organized my advocacy for the protection of Lake Chad. My work on the protection of Lake Chad has brought together stakeholders in the area of the land use pattern, the Lake Chad Basin Commission on the restoration of the Lake, and a hydrologist to get an overview of the crisis.

Climate change was ranked the greatest threat to Lake Chad, especially with the decade-long Sahel drought that occurred in the 1970s, of which the impact is still felt to date. Why I am actively involved in the protection of the Lake is to prevent future reoccurrence of the lengthy drought in this era of the unprecedented impacts of climate change. If Lake Chad is not protected, it could mean more displacement of people, hunger, conflict, and even a threat to livelihoods as they are now. Yet, the Lake is an important wetland in West Africa recognized as a Ramsar Wetland of International International Importance. 

Q. Who is the influential figure who has inspired your actions, and what specifically about them has been motivating?

At different stages of my work, different people have inspired me. It is important to be inspired. 

Wangeri Maathia’s ability to bring women together to fight for environmental protection inspires my work a lot. She understood what it means for women to not just be the victims but rather changemakers and her remarkable leadership in establishing the Green Belt movement. She is fearless and bold. I can’t imagine what it took during her time as a woman environmentalist and, from the global south. It required a lot of passion and courage. Right now, as a female advocate, it takes a lot. All the work I have done takes a lot of extra effort behind the scenes. To every woman who keeps breaking the ceiling, I want you to know that you inspire me. I am grateful to every woman who has supported me and has kept supporting me. I see you and appreciate you. 
 

Q. In your conservation efforts for wetlands, what key challenges did you face and how has this experience fuelled your dedication to making a positive impact?

At first, when I began my work on Lake Chad and advocacies, it was like I was in a room speaking to myself. There was no platform to leverage what I do nor could I reach a wider audience. I had to create my blog “Women and Crisis” (https://www.womenandcrisis.com/). From one article I have now written over 100 articles with more than 100,000 readers on the issues of the climate crisis and Lake Chad.

I started the mass awareness that drew the attention of the global community to the crisis in Lake Chad. Some people reached out to me who wanted to know more about this Lake that has been shrinking since the 1960s. I have been able to use my platform to amplify the issues in the region while meeting with the stakeholders in the region. From building my platform to being invited to write articles for several other media. You can find more than 10 of my articles in different international newspapers and many of the interviews from global media. I have further used my platform to involve young people in the movement for climate justice around the world.

Secondly, the funds to carry out projects; there are a lot of ideas but the majority of the time funding falls short. Funds remain one of those things we are still working on while trying to get our work done. Such support is important to protect Lake Chad a wetland threatened by the climate crisis. There are many ways to create change in society; I write, make videos, and keep engaged with those at the grassroots whilst involving the leaders at the top and connecting them to the international community.
 

Q. As a woman who has made significant strides, where can you say investment is required to accelerate progress and empower women’s actions for wetlands?

Funding should be gender neutral; more funds for women researchers and in the academic space in upscaling solutions. Women are empowered when they have the tools to become the true custodians of the environment. Sometimes, you get discouraged when there are no funds to carry out a desired project. You are not alone, we are fighting with you. There is a need to integrate women’s Indigenous knowledge into science to protect our wetlands. Education can play a big role too, when women are educated, we can become scientists, data analysts, technicians, and many other roles.  We can play to protect our wetlands. Through education, there is no limit to what a woman can become.