Family marks Dafinone’s anniversary

Janefrances Chibuzor

Chairman, National Executive Council of the  Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Chief Ede Dafinone, has led his family in tree planting to mark the anniversary of  the late chartered accountant,  Senator David Omueya Dafinone.

Speaking during the exercise in Sapele, Delta State,   Dafinone said:  “When a great man dies, we typically say ‘an iroko has fallen’,  so, it is appropriate that to mark this day an Iroko tree will be planted in the garden of the crumb rubber-exporting factory established by my father in Amukpe, Sapele, Delta State.”

The NEF chair used the tree planting to draw attention to the need to improve on Nigeria’s dwindling forest cover, which stands at four percent compared to the FAO recommended level of 25 percent.

He also drummed support for the laudable conservation efforts of NCF.

He said tree planting to commemorate births and deaths is common in some Asian countries and if this trend is established in Nigeria, it will be one of the thrusts of NCF’s Green Recovery Nigeria (GRN) initiative, which will continue to flourish where there is push to recover degenerated and degraded forests whilst establishing new forests.

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He said: “To plant a tree is to send signal to the rest of Nigeria that we need to preserve our land. This iroko tree will be planted in my father’s memory. It will grow and be year, 100 years, 200 years, even when we might have gone from this world. While some people are cutting trees, destroying forests, we will continue to plant trees”

Finance and Administration Manager, Sapele Integrated Industries Limited (SIIL) Hon. Emmanuel Agbaje, said the Senator Dafinone established the factory in 1995, for processing rubber because Sapele is known then for large rubber plantations and the founder of SIIL remained one of the largest employers of the time.

At the event were wife of Senator Dafinone, Chief Cynthia Dafinone; Dafinone’s bother Chief Godfrey Dafinone; his son Mr. Duvie Dafinone; his daughters in-law Mrs. Eyamba Dafinone and Mrs. Stella Dafinone; management staff of SIIL, media, among others.