By Ayomide Otitoju
Rite Foods Limited, one of Nigeria’s foremost food and beverage companies, has reiterated its dedication to environmental stewardship through strategic collaborations aimed at promoting sustainability and marine conservation.
Speaking at The Fela Debates 17, held on Monday at the NECA Auditorium, Ikeja, as part of the 2025 Felabration Festival themed “Water (No) Get Enemy: Sustaining Life, Art and Commerce Through the Blue Economy,” Mr. Ekuma Eze, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Rite Foods, emphasized that addressing environmental challenges requires collective action involving government, the private sector, civil society, and local communities.
The annual debate, moderated by Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, Chairman of Silverbird Group, featured key speakers including Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, and Mr. Akin Disu, Convener of Rite on the Beach, Rite Foods’ flagship environmental cleanup and recycling initiative.
Drawing inspiration from Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s timeless song “Water No Get Enemy,” Eze reflected on the interconnectedness between humanity and nature. “Just as water sustains life, unity sustains society. Our well-being is inseparable from the health of our environment. Like water, which nourishes without discrimination, we must act collectively to protect our shared resources,” he stated.
Citing the Igbo philosophy “ndu mmiri, ndu azu”—meaning “the life of water is the life of fish”—Eze underscored the importance of balance, harmony, and interdependence in sustaining life and development.
Highlighting the company’s environmental impact, he noted that the Rite on the Beach initiative, launched in partnership with Pop Beach five years ago, has cleaned over 15 kilometers of shoreline across Tarkwa Bay, Ilado, Ilashe, Ibeshe, and Ikaare, removing tons of plastic waste.
“Through this initiative, we demonstrate that responsible businesses do more than sell products—they preserve the environment that sustains us all,” Eze said. He added that proceeds from recycled plastics fund educational programs, providing scholarships to 296 schoolchildren and sustainability training for 250 university students through the company’s Residency programme.
Eze also called for stronger multi-sectoral collaboration to harness Nigeria’s blue economy—valued at over $1.5 trillion—while protecting marine biodiversity and promoting sustainable tourism. “Water is not our enemy; our actions are. With unity of purpose, we can restore balance and ensure that water continues to cleanse, heal, and sustain generations to come,” he added.
The Fela Debates series remains a cornerstone of the globally acclaimed Felabration Festival, honouring the legacy of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, whose music and activism championed freedom, justice, and social consciousness. Over the years, the platform has featured distinguished voices including Professor Wole Soyinka, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Professor PLO Lumumba, Femi Falana (SAN), and Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), reinforcing its role as a forum for progressive dialogue on art, activism, and innovation.
