NYCC Mourns the death of Prof Wangari Maathai

Statement by Esther Agbarakwe, Founder of Nigerian Youth Climate Coalition.

"We young Nigerian Climate Leaders mourns with our peers across Africa and the world on the sad news of the dead of Wangari Maathai. A women we saw as a mother. We draw strong inspiration from her life and promise to keep her legacy. We are consoled that she led a wonderful live during our generation and we will miss her wisdom and courage in Durban. May we grow up to be like you...  Adieu Mama Trees, Adieu Mama Africa. We love you, but God love you most'

 

Wangari Muta Maathai (1940-2011)

Prof. Wangari Muta Maathai started the Green Belt Movement in 1977, working with women to improve their livelihoods by increasing their access to resources like firewood for cooking and clean water. She became a great advocate for better management of natural resources and for sustainability, equity, and justice. 

Wangari Muta Maathai was born in Nyeri, Kenya (Africa) in 1940. The first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree, Professor Maathai obtained a degree in Biological Sciences from Mount St. Scholastica College in Atchison, Kansas (1964).

 She subsequently earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh (1966). Professor Maathai pursued doctoral studies in Germany and the University of Nairobi, obtaining a Ph.D. (1971) from the University of Nairobi where she also taught veterinary anatomy.

She became chair of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and an associate professor in 1976 and 1977 respectively. In both cases, she was the first woman to attain those positions in the region.