Rite Foods Limited, a leading food and beverage company in Nigeria, has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental stewardship anchored on collaboration.
A panelist at The Fela Debates 17, which is one of the activities marking the 2025 Felabration festival, Mr. Ekuma Eze, who is the Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Rite Foods Limited, emphasised that the solution to environmental challenges can only be surmounted through stakeholder collaboration involving government, private sector, civil society organisations, and communities.
Held on Monday at the NECA Auditorium, Ikeja, the annual debate brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and changemakers in a robust discourse moderated by the Chairman of Silverbird Group, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce. Other speakers included Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Barrister Tokunbo Wahab; and Convener of Rite on the Beach, Mr. Akin Disu. Rite on the Beach is Rite Foods’ transformative environmental cleanup and recycling initiative.
Reflecting on Fela’s iconic song Water No Get Enemy, Ekuma explored its metaphorical depth, noting that, just as water sustains life, so does unity sustain the society. ‘The relationship between water and humanity teaches us that our individual well-being is inseparable from the well-being of our environment. Like water, which nourishes without discrimination, we must act collectively to protect our shared resources’,, he stated.
He drew from Igbo philosophy, ndu mmiri, ndu azu (the life of water, the life of fish) to illustrate the importance of harmony, balance, and interdependence in all aspects of life.
On Rite Foods’ intervention in preserving the marine ecosystem, Ekuma highlighted that the Rite on the Beach initiative, in partnership with Pop Beach, which is now in its fifth year, has cleaned over 15 kilometers of shoreline across Tarkwa Bay, Ilado, Ilashe, Ibeshe, and Ikaare of plastic bottles.
‘Through this initiative, we are demonstrating that businesses must not only sell products but also preserve the environment that sustains us all’, he said.
The project not only clears marine waste but also uses the proceeds from recycled plastics to support school children. So far, over 296 school pupils have been provided scholarships, and 250 undergraduates have been trained in sustainability practices through the Residency program.
Ekuma called for multi-sectoral collaboration to advance Nigeria’s blue economy potential, estimated at over $1.5 trillion, while safeguarding marine biodiversity and promoting sustainable tourism.
He urged government, businesses, and citizens alike to take responsibility for proper waste management, climate action, and water protection.
‘Water is not our enemy; our actions are. With unity of purpose, we can restore balance and ensure that water continues to serve as the eternal friend Fela sang about, cleansing, healing, and sustaining generations to come’, he added.
The Fela Debates series, a cornerstone of the globally acclaimed Felabration festival, celebrates the enduring legacy of Afrobeat icon, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, whose music and activism championed freedom, justice, and social consciousness.
Over the years, the symposium has hosted distinguished voices including Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; acclaimed novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; lawyer and activist, Prof. Patrick Lumumba; activist and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana; and a former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, cementing its reputation as a platform for progressive dialogue at the intersection of art, activism, and innovation.
