Winner of Ghana’s Most Beautiful 2024 and Founder of EcoGreen Oases Legacy, Queen Nihad Titiaka Oases Ibrahim, was honoured by the Federation of African Law Students (FALAS) with an Honorary Award for Inspiring Youth and Promoting African Creativity at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The recognition came during the 5th Continental Conference of FALAS, where Queen Titiaka delivered a stirring address that inspired hundreds of young African law students to rise and lead the fight for climate justice across the continent.
The Honorary Award celebrated Queen Titiaka’s outstanding leadership, innovation, and impact as a youth advocate transforming beauty into purpose and law into action.
Addressing an audience of over 200 delegates from 16 African countries prior to receiving this award, the law graduate from the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) challenged African youth to “become the conscience of climate accountability” on a continent that contributes less than 4% of global emissions yet bears the harshest effects of climate change.
“You can have all the money in the world, but if the air you breathe is poisoned, that money is worthless,” she said, to thunderous applause. “Try holding your breath while counting money and see how long you last.”
Queen Titiaka’s message was backed by action. Through her flagship initiative, Empowering Communities for Climate Action, she and her team have planted 1,000 trees, educated 5,000 students, and trained over 200 women and youth in upcycling waste materials into marketable products; transforming discarded items into symbols of creativity and livelihood.
“Each of these acts,” she said, “is a seed of justice: a restoration of dignity and hope.”
She emphasized that climate justice means “fairness, accountability, and human dignity; ensuring that those who contribute least to climate change do not suffer the most from its impacts.” Citing the African Development Bank, she noted that climate change already costs Africa between 5% and 15% of its GDP annually, undermining development and worsening inequality.
The former UPSA SRC Women’s Commissioner warned that climate injustice deepens inequality across gender and class. Drawing from UNEP data, she revealed that 11 million Africans are pushed into poverty each year by climate shocks, while FAO reports that women who make up 70% of Africa’s agricultural workforce own less than 20% of the land.
“Climate injustice punishes those who have contributed least; women, youth, and the poor, for the sins of the powerful,” she declared.
She called on African governments to mainstream climate justice into law and policy, noting that less than 12% of global climate finance reaches Africa. Referring to UNFCCC (2024) data, she urged leaders to expand adaptation plans and invest in renewable energy, as 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity.
For Queen Titiaka, the FALAS Award is more than an honour; it is a call to deepen her mission.
“As a law graduate, I see climate justice as both a right and a responsibility; the right to a safe environment and the duty to protect it,” she said. “As a queen, I see it as legacy: what we plant today must grow into hope for generations to come.”
The FALAS 2025 Continental Conference, marking the Federation’s 5th anniversary, was held under the theme “Strengthening African Youth Leadership through Ubuntu for a United and Independent Africa.” It brought together students, academics, judges, diplomats, and policymakers from across the continent.
Queen Titiaka’s message blending passion, data, and lived experience; and her recognition with the FALAS Honorary Award underscored a defining truth: that for Africa, climate justice is not only an environmental concern, but a matter of law, equality, and survival.
