Stakeholders Advocate  Eco-comedy in Tackling Environmental Crisis

Felix Omoh-Asun in Benin

Stakeholders have emphasised the place of eco-comedy as a strategic tool to confront Nigeria’s growing ecological crisis.

They insisted that traditional advocacy approaches are no longer enough to spur action.

The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) led this shift with a one-day eco-comedy show, where stakeholders emphasised the power of humour to engage the public, simplify complex issues, and sustain advocacy efforts.

The Executive Director of HOMEF, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, said in Benin City, Edo State, yesterday that the initiative responded to rising frustration among citizens and environmental campaigners over its slow progress.

“The environmental challenges of Nigeria are so many and so severe that some people are getting tired of just complaining. Even those campaigning for environmental justice have begun to wonder if any change is possible,” he said.

Bassey said HOMEF deliberately introduced eco-comedy to reshape environmental conversations and capture attention in new ways.

“Eco-comedy is not just about making people laugh. When people laugh about an issue, they also reflect on it. It becomes a tool for awareness and action,” he said.

The environmentalist noted that humour could help bridge the gap between advocacy and policy response.

“Sometimes it is difficult to know whether the government is listening. But humour can arrest attention and make people see what they would normally ignore,” he added.

Bassey also cautioned against trivialising environmental concerns, including debates around genetically modified organisms, adding that: “These are issues of life. They affect us in many dimensions and should not be treated casually.”

Also speaking, Mariann Bassey-Olsson of the Environmental Rights Action (ERA) said activists now rely on humour to cope with the pressures of sustained advocacy.

She said: “We are laughing on purpose because if we don’t laugh, this work will stress us. The issues we deal with are heavy, and without joy, the movement cannot survive.”

Bassey-Olsson stressed that eco-comedy served as both a communication and survival tool.

“Humour allows us to tell the truth, expose injustice, and stay human in the struggle. One good joke can do what a 40-page report cannot do,” she said.

Bassey-Olsson warned that losing morale could weaken advocacy movements, adding that: “If we lose our joy, we will lose the movement. Laughter helps us reconnect and keep going.”

The event featured an eco-comedy short film competition, where Cynthia Bright emerged as the winner and received a N250,000 prize.

Participants said integrating creativity into advocacy could strengthen public engagement and help drive meaningful action on environmental issues