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Transcript/Script EnglishNigeria Bicycle Carnival TV
HEADLINE: Community Bicycle Carnival in Nigeria Promotes Cleaner Air and Culture
TEASER:
PUBLISHED AT: Monday, 01/24.2022 at 9:15am
BYLINE: Timothy Obiezu
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Isiokpo Rivers State, Nigeria
VIDEOGRAPHER: Emeka Gibson
VIDEO EDITOR: Rod James
SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, DLJ
VIDEO SOURCE: VOA
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO _x_
TRT: 2:40
VID APPROVED BY: pcd
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO))
[[Nigeria's Rivers State has some of the most polluted air in Africa from people burning fossil fuels and trash. One community has sought to reduce pollution by promoting bicycle riding with an annual bicycle carnival. For VOA, Timothy Obiezu reports from Isiokpo, Nigeria.]]
((NARRATOR))
Cyclists prepare to hit the road in Isiokpo, in Nigeria's Niger Delta. In a region known for its polluted air, these residents say they hope others will also choose to pedal their way to a cleaner future.
Hundreds of people joined this bicycle carnival to promote bicycle riding over the use of transportation that relies on fossil fuels.
Chris Ejim started the initiative two years ago.
((Chris Ejim, Bicycle Carnival Founder)) ((male, in English 20 secs))
"You can see we're all complaining about soot. Bicycle does not have anything to do with carbon. It's just you riding your macho bicycles unlike motorcycle or cars. If only we can adopt this and make it a major means of transportation, we'll be limited with this soot, wahala (trouble).”
((NARRATOR))
Organizers say the bicycle carnival is the most popular in Nigeria and one of the biggest in West Africa.
Bright Johnson says it has encouraged others like him to cycle more often.
((Bright Johnson, Cyclist)) ((male, In English, 18 secs))
"Bicycles are in existence in this community now fully. From after the 2020 bicycle carnival, people started moving out with their bicycles, started going to the market, farms.”
((NARRATOR))
Nigeria's Rivers State is ranked as one of the most air-polluted areas of the country, in part because illegal oil refinery operations that pollute the air.
Black soot released from these operations is easy to spot on surfaces, windows, cars, houses, and even plants.
This month, the Rivers State government began cracking down on offenders.
Local officials say if more people ride bicycles the demand for the illegal fuel will drop.
((Benjamin Wordu, Isiokpo Community King)) ((male, In English))
"We encourage people to have bicycles, and once in a while use them. Move around with them. Exercise yourself. But not that we won't embrace the modern transport means available and reversing to bicycle as our own more acceptable means of movement."
((NARRATOR))
Ejim says Nigeria needs more bicycle lanes. Even without that, he says, other villages are considering bicycle festivals, to encourage people to use their cars less, and their bicycles more.
((Timothy Obiezu for VOA News, Isiokpo, Rivers State, Nigeria ))
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJanuary 21, 2022 14:45 EST
Brand / Language ServiceUS Agency for Global Media
