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The Board of Trustees, National Executive Council and Management of Nigerian
Conservation Foundation (NCF) commiserate with Her Majesty, the Queen and the Royal
Family on the passing away of HRH, Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, on Friday, 9th
April, 2021 at the age of 99.
Prince Philip was a friend to the late Chief S.L. Edu, the founder of NCF. As then President
of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), he supported Chief Edu in establishing the NCF and
continued to give his support to the organization until it became fully fledged. At the instance
of NCF, Prince Philip has visited Nigeria on a number of occasions and thereby bringing to
global prominence some of Nigeria’s rich natural heritage. The international recognition that
the Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands first received was as result of his efforts. The area is now
officially recognized by the United Nations amongst the Wetlands of International
th
Importance (Ramsar site) and is part of the Nigerian National Parks System. On 18
February
1989, he laid the Foundation stone of the Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC), which was
jointly developed by NCF and Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL). He also commissioned the Centre
after its completion.
We join the rest of the global community of environmentalists in mourning the loss of such
an audacious voice for nature and one of the pioneer wildlife conservationists. His death has
no doubt left a big vacuum in the Nature conservation arena that is difficult to fill. But his
legacies live on.
Izoma Philip Asiodu, CON
President, Board of Trustees