About Us
Protecting Nature and Indigenous Heritage = Sustainable Communities
Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) is a Nigerian non-governmental organisation that works with indigenous communities, grassroots groups and civil society to expose and challenge corporate impunity, unsound environmental practices and human rights violations.
RDI resists the exploitation of community resources without the Free Prior and Informed Consent of indigenous people. It aims to build the capacity of communities to influence government decisions, exercise their God-given sovereignty over what nature has bequeathed to them, and amplify their right to say YES or NO to exploitation of their resources.
RDI is a legal entity incorporated under Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on the 14 November 2023 and is identified with the registration number IT/7224884.
RDI is also in compliance with the provisions of Section 17 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, and any other Law or Regulation.
The RDI staff come from a diverse background of environment activism, media advocacy and legislative engagement with decades of experience holding government to account on public services, issues concerning public health and amplifying the voices of communities impacted by extractives and corporate impunity.
To build vibrant communities where the rights of indigenous people are respected.
Sustainable communities in which everyone enjoys equity and freedom from all forms of indignity.
Our Team
Philip Jakpor
Director
Philip Jakpor
Director
Jakpor maintains that his passion for exposing the activities of corporations and challenging them is informed by his interaction with victims of oil corporations’ activities in Nigeria’s Niger Delta. This passion blossomed at the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) where he worked with a team of committed activists and grassroots movements that were determined to hold the corporations to account.
Between 2009 and 2015 he was the facilitator of journalism trainings funded in Nigeria by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland which over 250 journalists across Nigeria benefitted from. Jakpor is well traveled and continues to deploy his expertise in helping organisations form workable and effective media strategies.
Beyond the environment, Jakpor deployed his media expertise in the advocacy work that culminated in Nigeria’s domestication of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2015 and is still involved in exposing and countering the tobacco industry’s unrelenting efforts at thwarting enforcement of lifesaving public health laws in Nigeria and globally.
Jakpor was a foundation staff of the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) where he was director of programmes till September 2023 when he left to head Renevlyn Development Initiative.
Ifeoluwa Adediran
Gender Officer
Ifeoluwa Adediran
Gender Officer
Her keen interest in women, underreported stories and passion for gender equality led to her work with the Gender Equality Project of the BBC (50:50 Project), as a Journalism Researcher. Covering the African region, Ifeoluwa contributed to the coverage and representation of women in the media, both within and outside the BBC.
Ifeoluwa brings her vast experience in promoting gender rights to the Renevlyn Development Initiative family.
Akhigbe Enosetale Peter
Finance Officer
Akhigbe Enosetale Peter
Finance Officer
Peter is a graduate of accounting from the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) Abeokuta Ogun State. During his service year in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) he headed the Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Community Development Service group where he learnt the skills necessary in ensuring transparency and accountability in managing funds.
Peter started his career at the Green Legacy Resort (Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library) Ogun State, where he worked as an Accounts Officer from 2018 to 2020 before transitioning to an accountant with the New Age Group in 2022. He is passionate about anything he does and believes in self-improvement. He has an ACA (In view).
He brings his wealth of knowledge into Renevlyn Development Initiative as the Accounts & Financial Compliance Manager. He is responsible for implementation of operative financial controls, financial reports to donors as well as the processing and documentation of all receipts and expenditure of the organisation.
Tobias Lengnan Dapam
Trustee
Tobias Lengnan Dapam
Trustee
He is also a multimedia journalist and the publisher of thevoice.com.ng, an online platform set up to amplify the voice of the voiceless.
Tobias has vast experience in exposing environmental challenges in rural communities in the middle belt and northern Nigeria where desert encroachment has spurred resource conflicts between land owners and settlers.
Tobias believes indigenous communities must be part of decision making processes as illegal mining activities grow in northern Nigeria.