By Frank Meke.
Protecting Nigeria’s forests and fauna resources, is not a business for the pedestrian and weak at heart. It used to be a man’s job, tough, dangerous and unthankful but it no longer a boys scout calling since Caroline Olory ventured to dare.
In Nigeria’s conservation trajectory and heads up leadership by Dr Ibrahim Goni, Conservator General of Federation, detailed and determined revelations have brought forward the capacity of female Conservators to bear.
Caroline Olory, is the trust holder, the baton of hope and the first female Ranger Corp, rolled out to burst the male dominance, (not mischievous in any way) , of a national call to duty to dare terrorism against the silent beings of our forests ecosystem.
Groomed and horned by a system that has no room for the squeamish and procrastinators, Olory stood to be counted worthy as examlpry leader of new generation of protectors of the Nigerian earth resources.
Her history and call to service, in Nigeria’s National Parks service, tells of encounters which, clouds discouragement but fosters courage.
From the thick forests of Kainji lake National Park, she began her journey to eternal love for nature, under rain and sun, beating off fatigue,poor remuneration and the unthankfulness and ingratitude of a nation that hardly show sympathy to those who sacrifice limbs and family welfare to keep Nigeria’s forests economy safe.
Indeed, family and friends, do wonder what drives this beautiful lady from Cross River, who could have chosen a life of luxury as banker or marketing guru, but choose to nurse and protect ” ordinary trees and Bush meats “
At Old OYO National Park, where Olory currently holds forth, as Conservator of Park (CP) equivalent of the rank of Commissioner of Police, uprightness, discipline and respect to call to duty, is sacrosanct, no duling as we say on the streets.
Though the head office in OYO Town, sparkles in cleanness, and tranquility to which only a nature amphitheatre and holds Bay could provide, the real theatre of operations lies in two ranges of diverse gifts of the Park in Ikoyi ile, kisi, igbeti, igboho and sepetri.
Olory leads from the front, compassionate, mindful that she represents thousands of Nigerian female Conservators, and must bearb charge to change the narratives that women and female Conservators can only thrive as hospitality care givers or at best, Conservation teachers and evangelists.
Yes, Olory preaches Conservation education but the challenge of running out heavily armed illegal loggers and poachers, out the Park, presents another dimensional expectations.
Confronted with the reality that a bullet is what separates her and her colleagues from a life of duty to preserve and protect the ecosystem, Olory ventures out every day as if its her last day on earth and take it from me, she is passionate to lay her life down to keep safe the flora and fauna resources, many of them on endangered list from callous human predators and their sponsors.
Her community conservation diplomacy is examlpry. The support zone communities, the traditional rulers and youths, are excited and appreciative of her care and love for nature and forests beings.
Alapata of igboho land, Oba Joel Olalere 0lawuwu told me, Caroline Olory is God sent to old OYO National Park, particularly at this period when dangerous and strange cattle herders, have sworn to over run the Park, using it as a base to rob, kidnap, maim and terrorise the people.
Significantly, Olory has built a network of Intel, coordinating and supporting local vigilantees, including harvesting willing established national security architecture to keep the vast culutral ranges and unique ecosystem of old OYO National Park safe.
Though, it’s still work in progress, the proactive management and leadership bearings of this biosphere mother Theresa , potends great future for the peace and security of the Park, home to the old kingdom of OYO, the home of Yoruba King and god of fire spitting Sango.
The potency of communal restiveness occasioned by the threat of fulani cattle grazers can be felt here, just like other protected enclaves across the country, but so far Caroline Olory has doused tension, nights and day lights spent on talks across tables of understanding and reasoning, yet desiring government funding support and facilitation.
Olory is “talk and do” personified but looking deep into her eyes, lies a heart full of love and compassion for not just mother earth but for the local hospitable folks of igbeti, igboho, ikoyi ile and Sepeteri, deserving to live in peace with nature, a people who gave up their rich ancestral inheritance but oppressed and troubled today by strange heartless souls, killing and maiming for what are not theirs.
Caroline Olory needs our prayers, as a nation and people. She left kitchen and luxury of ” other rooms ” and here puts her life and that of her men on the line, for the sake of our future survival and peaceful coexistence with mother earth.