Esieribom Stakeholder Roundtable

When the Room Chose Hope:

The Story of the Esierebom Stakeholders' Roundtable

Calabar, Cross River State · Ten organisations, one coastline, one shared responsibility. A convening to turn evidence into collective advocacy for the Esierebom mangrove.

Group Photo: Stakeholders and BRC representatives at the close

Date & Time

Monday 14th Sept 2026, 11AM

Full-day convening

Location

Calabar, Cross River State

South-South Nigeria

Convened by

BRC

In partnership with 10 CSOs

Outcome

Unified advocacy memorandum adopted by 10 CSOs

Page-by-page review completed

Why This Gathering Mattered

Esierebom is not just a mangrove. It is a carbon bank, a nursery for fisheries, and a shield for coastal communities. When it was cleared, we chose to gather evidence, not anger.

Over 13,000 seedlings lost — including UN-REDD & BRC restoration efforts — with no EIA published.

March, 2026

The Clearing

Heavy machinery cleared Esierebom mangrove ecosystem — over 10,000 UN-REDD seedlings + 3,000 BRC seedlings lost. Site prepared for ultramodern market development. No Environmental Impact Assessment published, no community consultation.

March — Aug 2026

Research & Coalition Building

BRC & NYCNN undertook field research, satellite analysis, and drafted a joint memorandum. Outreach to CSOs across Cross River State to ground the advocacy in local science and lived experience.

14 Sept 2026

Roundtable Convened

Page-by-page review of memorandum by ten organisations. Introduction & Background added to ground unfamiliar readers. Formal cover letter drafted to carry memorandum to state agencies and federal ministries.

Who Was In The Room

Scientific authority, youth leadership, and grassroots civil society — ten voices, one memorandum.

Dr. Patrick Akwaji

HOD Plant & Ecological Studies, UNICAL

Racheal Bassey

National Coordinator, NYCNN

Dr. Patrick Akwaji

HOD Plant & Ecological Studies, UNICAL

Dr. Peter Bette

NGOCE

Mr. Obongha

AfERA

Leader Ben Ushang

CRS Civil Society Network

What Changed In That Room

Two decisive edits that turned a BRC document into a collective instrument.

Amendment 01

Added Introduction & Background

To ground unfamiliar readers — agencies, media, courts — in Esierebom's ecological and community story before the asks. No advocacy without context.

Amendment 02

Added Formal Cover Letter

To carry the memorandum to agencies with protocol and weight. A single page that says: this is not a petition, this is a united position of Cross River civil society.