Kiyaramo celebrates Eniang at World Congress on snakes
The Chairman of the BRACED Tourism Promotion and Development Initiative, Dr Piriye Kiyaramo, has celebrated Nigerian conservationist, Prof. Edem Archibong Eniang, for representing the country at the inaugural World Congress on Snakes in Sri Lanka.
Kiyaramo, who is also the founder and convener of the Africa Blue Economy Roundtable, described Eniang as a leading Nigerian conservationist whose more than three decades of work in herpetology and wildlife conservation had earned him international recognition.
Nathan Tamarapreye
The Chairman of the BRACED Tourism Promotion and Development Initiative, Dr Piriye Kiyaramo, has celebrated Nigerian conservationist, Prof. Edem Archibong Eniang, for representing the country at the inaugural World Congress on Snakes in Sri Lanka.
Kiyaramo, who is also the founder and convener of the Africa Blue Economy Roundtable, described Eniang as a leading Nigerian conservationist whose more than three decades of work in herpetology and wildlife conservation had earned him international recognition.
He made the remarks in a birthday message to Eniang, the Executive Director of the Biodiversity Preservation Centre and Professor of Wildlife Resources Management at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Eniang, who turned 57 on October 1, is attending the four-day congress holding in Kandy, Sri Lanka, from October 1 to 4.
Kiyaramo said Eniang’s participation as Nigeria’s sole representative was a source of pride to the BTPDI, Akwa Ibom State, the Niger Delta and the country.
He said the congress was providing an international platform for researchers, conservationists and medical experts to exchange knowledge on snake biology, conservation, snakebite management and emerging challenges.
According to Kiyaramo, the programme includes plenary sessions, symposia, workshops and field excursions covering areas such as snake biology and evolution, human-snake coexistence, snakebite management and toxicology, conservation genomics, artificial intelligence and citizen science.
He said Sri Lanka’s selection as host reflected the country’s rich reptilian biodiversity, noting that it has 112 recorded snake species, more than half of which are endemic.
Kiyaramo said Eniang’s participation highlighted the contribution of African expertise to global efforts to protect biodiversity and address the snakebite crisis.
He described snakebite as a neglected tropical disease that causes more than 100,000 deaths globally each year.
Kiyaramo wished Eniang a happy 57th birthday and success in representing Nigeria at the international congress. He said Eniang’s participation would further strengthen Nigeria’s visibility in global conversations on wildlife conservation, biodiversity and snakebite management.
