Tomakint
Nigeria

How long have you been a cyberactivist?

About one year, eight months (since July, 2002).

Why did you become a cyberactivist?

So that I can air my views and share my ideas with other activists across the globe as well as know their minds toward the predicaments of our world environmentally. I have been a member of a local environmental body for the past 6 years, but, the inner drive within me towards salvaging the Earth from environmental degradation and getting more active propelled me to search out for Greenpeace that afternoon in July, 2002, on the google search engine.

What's your secret? How did you gather so many recruits?

I actually followed the instructions, by personalizing the message for the pledge sent to my box, before sending it out to my friends. Initially, being the kind of country I came from, they didn't take it seriously. In fact it got to a stage where I have to be pleading with some before they could understand. I later got to know that only few responded despite my "sermon", then I decided to travel a distance of about 170 km (from Ile-Ife to Lagos) to recruit more friends. Great thanks to majority who wasted no time at all in filling the pledge, some who understood the contents of the message even went to the extent of forwarding the message to some of their friends including their siblings. I got this drive as a result of my commitment towards the membership drive of an environmental organization I belonged to here in Nigeria (Nigerian Conservation Foundation). I was able to recruit more than 40 members, which was not an easy task anyway. Though, many still did not fill the pledge after all, but the truth is, if not for much agitation from me, I wouldn't have made it to that rank, I think it worth the struggle all the same.

If you could create a banner about whaling and hang it anywhere in the world, what would it say and where would you hang it?

My banner would reads; "Over-whaling (whether commercial or scientific whaling) should be stopped now or whales will be over" and I would prefer to hang it at the dockyard of Reykjavik Sea Port.

Why do you want to stop Iceland from whaling?

So that tourism can receive a boost, by creating a standard between whaling and whale-watching.

Why do you want to sail on a Greenpeace ship?

To fulfil my mission in this pledge as a worthy Greenpeace Ambassador representing the entire cyberactivist community aboard the Esperanza, which is a symbol of "no to Commercial Whaling" that we all (participants) pledged against in the Pledge race. Other things of interest that will make me want to sail on a Greenpeace ship will be some unforgettable experiences like watching dolphins swimming along with the ship and many other things of interest one may encounter sailing on a ship.

No.

Feel free to add any other reason why you think you're the right person to represent our cyberactivist community on board the Esperanza:

Well, everyone of us who made it this far stands a chance of being selected. But as for me, I would consider a vote for me as the right person fulfilling, based on the experience I would get, the impact it would have on my vision and dream as a young environmental cyberactivist hoping to seize this opportunity to reach out to other concerned activists and even those yet to fully embrace what conservation is all about on the need for a strict adherence to the teachings of conservation education.Also, I am strong and capable of doing any duty that may be assigned to me while on board and do promise to grant an exclusive interview (already, I am preparing towards that) with the press concerning commercial whaling and other related matters in Iceland if eventually selected. I believe there is power in information, which if well channelled through the appropriate quarters (just like the 1972 "Save the Whales campaign" launched by Greenpeace), can yield positive results. It would be the happiest moment in my environmental life, if chosen to sail on "Esperanza" to Reykjavik come this June. Thanks!