Comrade Celestine AkpoBari

Experience & Activities

Celestine AkpoBari is a respected environmental rights and human rights activist from Ogoniland in Rivers State, Nigeria, with decades of experience championing justice, environmental restoration, and community empowerment in the Niger Delta.
His journey as a defender of rights began in grassroots union activism, where he organised plantation workers and stood up to exploitation. Inspired by the legacy of Ken Saro-Wiwa, AkpoBari devoted his life to advancing environmental justice for communities whose lands and waters have suffered from decades of oil pollution.

Over the years, he has led and collaborated with numerous civil society movements, including serving as National Coordinator of the Ogoni Solidarity Forum–Nigeria, and has represented Niger Delta communities at national and international fora on environmental rights.
As the Founder and Team Lead of MEDI, Celestine brings strategic vision, grassroots credibility, and an unyielding commitment to environmental integrity. Under his leadership, MEDI drives impactful initiatives that elevate community voices, promote sustainable development, and hold institutions accountable for environmental protection across the Niger Delta.