Bishop Kukah to Deliver the 24th Chief S.L Edu Memorial Lecture and Drive Important Discussion on the Role of Faith in the Care of the Environment
For Immediate Release: January 2026
Lagos, Nigeria,
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) announces the 24th edition of the Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture. The annual flagship event organised by the NCF in collaboration with the family of the late Chief S.L. Edu is scheduled to hold on Friday, 30th January 2026, 11:00 a.m., at The Hall, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 16 Musa Yar’adua Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The lecture themed, “To Have and To Hold: Faith and Care of the Environment” will be delivered by Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese, a respected moral voice, scholar, and advocate whose work spans faith, governance, and social justice.
The Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture is the flagship advocacy tool of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation aimed at bringing pertinent environmental issues to the fore while advocating solutions through renowned speakers. For over two decades, the lecture has provided a platform to address pressing environmental and sustainability issues in Nigeria and beyond. Through renowned speakers, the event has consistently articulated solutions to environmental challenges while promoting sustainable development.
This year’s theme is a profound reflection on humanity’s moral relationship with nature. It invites a critical examination of whether our beliefs inspire responsible stewardship of the environment or unintentionally contribute to its degradation.
Speaking ahead of the event, Dr. Joseph Onoja, Director-General of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, re-emphasized the importance of the annual lecture:
“At a time when Africa confronts intertwined crises of environmental degradation, inequality, and leadership deficits, the Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture calls us back to values of responsibility, stewardship, and justice. Sustainability is not only a technical challenge; it is a moral one. This platform exists to remind us that the future we seek must be guided by conscience as much as policy.”
In line with its commitment to knowledge generation and capacity building, the Foundation will also award research grants to two PhD candidates in Nigerian universities whose work focuses on environmental sciences and sustainability. The grants support research in biodiversity conservation, environmental management, and sustainable livelihoods, following a rigorous and transparent adjudication process involving academics, professionals and stakeholders in the fields of conservation. Since inception, 48 candidates have been awarded this scholarship.
Founded on the belief that protecting nature is inseparable from securing human well-being, the legacy of Chief S.L. Edu remains central to the lecture series. His vision that conservation must be rooted in ethics, foresight, and intergenerational responsibility continues to guide NCF’s mission and advocacy today.
The event is free, but registration is compulsory. Interested participants are encouraged to register via bit.ly/SLEdu2026.
The Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture convenes policymakers, faith leaders, conservation practitioners, academics, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional institutions, development partners, and local and international media. It remains a cornerstone of NCF’s efforts to inspire dialogue, reflection, and a moral re-orientation toward a more sustainable and just future.
