Felabration 2025: Rite Foods Reaffirms Commitment to Environmental Stewardship, Advocates Collaboration for Blue Economy Growth
Rite Foods Limited, one of Nigeria’s foremost food and beverage companies, has reiterated its dedication to environmental stewardship through collective action and stakeholder engagement.
Speaking as a panelist at The Fela Debates 17, held on Monday at the NECA Auditorium, Ikeja, as part of activities marking the 2025 Felabration festival, the company’s Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Mr. Ekuma Eze, emphasized that environmental challenges can only be effectively addressed through collaboration among government, private sector, civil society, and local communities.
The debate, themed “Water (No) Get Enemy: Sustaining Life, Art and Commerce Through the Blue Economy,” featured policymakers, industry leaders, and changemakers. It was moderated by Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, Chairman of Silverbird Group, with other speakers including Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, 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 underscored the connection between water, life, and unity. “The relationship between water and humanity teaches us that our individual well-being is inseparable from the well-being of our environment. Like water, which nourishes without discrimination, we must act collectively to protect our shared resources,” he said.
He also invoked the Igbo philosophy, “ndu mmiri, ndu azu” — meaning “the life of water, the life of fish” — to highlight the importance of harmony, balance, and interdependence in sustainable living.
Eze spotlighted Rite Foods’ Rite on the Beach initiative, executed in partnership with Pop Beach, which is now in its fifth year. The program has cleaned over 15 kilometers of shoreline across Tarkwa Bay, Ilado, Ilashe, Ibeshe, and Ikaare, removing thousands of plastic bottles from the marine environment.
“Through this initiative, we are showing that responsible businesses must not only sell products but also protect the environment that sustains us all,” he stated. The project channels proceeds from recycled plastics to educational support, providing scholarships to over 296 school pupils and training 250 undergraduates in sustainability practices through its residency program.
Calling for stronger multi-sectoral collaboration, Eze noted that Nigeria’s blue economy holds an estimated potential value of over $1.5 trillion, urging stakeholders to balance economic growth with marine conservation and sustainable tourism.
“Water is not our enemy; our actions are. With unity of purpose, we can restore balance and ensure that water continues to serve as the eternal friend Fela sang about — cleansing, healing, and sustaining generations to come,” he added.
The Fela Debates series remains a key feature of the globally celebrated Felabration Festival, honoring the legacy of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, whose art and activism championed justice, freedom, and social consciousness. Past editions have featured prominent voices including Professor Wole Soyinka, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Professor PLO Lumumba, Femi Falana (SAN), and Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) — reaffirming its status as a platform for thought-provoking dialogue at the crossroads of art, activism, and innovation.
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