NCF Honours Mr. Anastasios Paul Leventis (CBE, OFR), Member, Nigerian Conservation Foundation Board of Trustees.
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation Honours Mr. Anastasios Paul Leventis (CBE, OFR), Member, NCF Board of Trustees in recognition of his selfless contribution to NCF and biodiversity conservation in Nigeria and beyond. The event which took place on the 30th of November 2024 was hosted and Chaired by Izoma Philip C. Asiodu, President, NCF Board of Trustees, and had NCF BOT and NEC Members present to celebrate the environment and sustainability icon.
Anastasios Paul Leventis is a prominent philanthropist and conservationist whose contributions to nature conservation in Nigeria left a profound legacy. His efforts, largely channeled through the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) and other initiatives, aimed at safeguarding Nigeria’s rich biodiversity and promoting environmental sustainability.
Tasso Leventis, a Founding Member and Trustee of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) for 44 years, has been instrumental in advancing conservation and biodiversity protection in Nigeria. His strategic vision and unwavering support have shaped the Foundation’s growth and impact over the decades. Chief Shafi Lawal Edu (S. L. Edu) played the lead role in the founding of NCF but his efforts would have yielded little without the keen interest and support of Mr. A. P. Leventis, Miss Aduke Alakija and Mr. Anofi Guobadia, the founding trustees.
Indeed Mr. Leventis had a good knowledge of the Nigerian ecology having been involved in nature photography for many years. It was his field and technical knowledge that Chief S. L. Edu benefitted from at the founding of NCF. Mr. Leventis motivated and monitored the early set of NCF’s Executive Directors and the Directors of NCF’s Technical Programmes. As the first Chairman of NCF’s Scientific Committee, he ensured that the earliest field surveys and programmes were conducted and coordinated with precision and serving as firm foundation for the environmental projects that were to follow.
Approximately 30 years ago, Tasso Leventis funded the establishment of the South- East Regional Office, a move that was both strategic and transformative. This office was pivotal in enabling the NCF to address critical conservation priorities in the region, including the protection of the Secretary Bird at Boki, the endangered Cross River Gorilla, and the region’s unique tropical and montane forests. These ecosystems form a transboundary biodiversity hotspot with Cameroon, providing the Foundation with significant regional opportunities for collaboration and impact. A.P Leventis and NCF jointly established the 120 Hectares Becheve Nature Reserve (BNR) on the Obudu Plateau in Cross River State in 1998. The Leventis Foundation has supported the project since then.
Tasso Leventis’s dedication to migratory bird conservation is equally noteworthy. Since 2001, he has provided crucial administrative and operational support for the management of Nigeria’s first Ramsar site, the Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands, by ensuring the availability of an office in the GRA of Nguru. This contribution has been essential in advancing wetland conservation and protecting migratory bird habitats.
Additionally, Tasso Leventis was instrumental in the establishment of the A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI), which has, over the past 15 years, produced skilled scientists who have not only contributed to the Foundation’s goals but also enhanced its global standing in conservation and biodiversity research. This institution, located in the Amurum Forest Reserve in Jos, Nigeria, which was envisioned by A.P Leventis, and has become a center of excellence for ornithological and biodiversity research in West Africa. The establishment of APLORI reflects A.P. Leventis’ lifelong dedication to environmental conservation and education.
His visionary contributions to conservation, from enabling regional outreach to fostering scientific excellence, have left an indelible mark on the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, inspiring its ongoing mission to safeguard Nigeria’s natural heritage.
