Fostering a culture of conservation in one of Nigeria’s newest national parks

24 June, 2026

By Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami

Osun Bird Conservation Project coordinators Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami and Mary Oluwaseun Adeyinka pose with Park Ranger Akinola during their visit to Oba Hills. Photo courtesy of Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami.

Oba Hills National Park is one of Nigeria’s newest national parks, covering ~52 square kilometers across Iwo, Ejigbo, and Ola-Oluwa Local Government Areas of Osun State. The Oba hills provide habitats for a wide diversity of plants and animals, giving the area significant ecological value. Unfortunately, some of these species have become threatened due to activities such as logging, hunting, and other human-related pressures. The park was upgraded from a forest reserve, Oba Hills Forest Reserve, to a national park, reflecting its ecological importance and the need for stronger protection and management.

Mary Oluwaseun Adeyinka leads a bird survey in Oba Hills National Park. Photo courtesy of Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami.

Today, Oba Hills stands as a nationally recognized protected area, combining ecological significance with cultural heritage. The communities surrounding Oba Hills largely depend on farming, hunting, and fishing as their major sources of livelihood. Though these activities are essential for their daily survival, they have also contributed to pressures on the park’s ecosystems. To address this, conservation education forms a central part of the Osun Bird Conservation Project.

Identifying birds during a survey in Oba Hills National Park. Photo courtesy of Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami.

The Osun Bird Conservation Project, coordinated by Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami and Mary Oluwaseun Adeyinka, was launched in 2023 to promote bird conservation through research and community engagement. Building on its impact, the project expanded its scope, commencing targeted conservation activities at Oba Hills National Park in September 2025 as part of its scaling-up strategy.

Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami speaks at a conservation education event near Oba Hills National Park. Photo courtesy of Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami.

As part of this initiative, we intentionally selected the Hooded Vulture as a focal species. This bird is critically endangered, and local communities often hold negative perceptions about it. Through conservation education, we aim to change this narrative by highlighting the important ecological roles of hooded vultures and other bird species in the locality, particularly in waste disposal, disease control, and maintaining ecosystem balance.

A participant in an Osun Bird Conservation Project conservation education session shows her conservation handout. Photo courtesy of Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami.

The project integrates scientific research and community engagement, with a strong focus on systematic bird data collection to understand species diversity and distribution within and around the park. At the same time, outreach activities have been carried out in host communities such as Ife-Odan, Ikonifin, and Owu-Ile, including visits to churches and motorbike parks where residents were engaged on environmental stewardship. Through these engagements, the project has reached community members, creating awareness and fostering local participation in conservation efforts.

Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami and Mary Oluwaseun Adeyinka prepare to deliver a conservation education session in a church near Oba Hills National Park. Photo courtesy of Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami.

As part of these engagements, conservation stickers featuring birds and vultures were distributed in both English and Yoruba to ensure accessibility and wider understanding. The project also plans to install conservation signages at strategic locations around the park to reinforce awareness and promote long-term behavioral change. Through these combined efforts, the Osun Bird Conservation Project is fostering a culture of conservation, helping communities understand the importance of protecting Oba Hills National Park.

Wetlands provide important habitat for birds and other wildlife in Oba Hills National Park. Photo courtesy of Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami.

We will continue to work closely with the Acting Conservator of Park, Oba Hills National Park, Alhaji Azeez Olakunle Kazeem, and his dedicated team, whose support has been invaluable since the commencement of this initiative. We also thank the National Park Service Headquarters for granting us the opportunity to implement this project, enabling both research and community engagement to take place effectively.

Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami and Mary Oluwaseun Adeyinka stand with park rangers during their visit to Oba Hills National Park. The park officer between Akinleye and Mary is the Acting Conservator of Park of the Oba Hills National Park - Alhaji Azeez Olakunle Kazeem. Photo courtesy of Akinleye Isaac Oyegbami.