BRACED Tourism Honours Sir Andy Ehanire at 70 as West Africa’s Bridge Between Wildlife and Communities
As renowned West African conservationist and ecotourism expert, Sir Andrew O. Ehanire turned 70 on Saturday, May 2, 2026, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the BRACED Tourism Promotion & Development Initiative (BTPDI), Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo has praised the Managing Director/CEO of Ogba Zoo and Nature Park, Benin City, Edo State, for his outstanding contributions to conservation and ecotourism in Nigeria and beyond.
Marking Sir Ehanire’s 70th birthday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Dr. Kiyaramo, a former Senior Special Assistant to the Bayelsa State Governor on Tourism and National Publicity Secretary of Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN), lauded him for his exemplary leadership across public service and the private sector.
He noted that as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN) and former National Vice President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Sir Ehanire has demonstrated exceptional capacity in every assignment, including organizing ATPN’s last successful Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abuja after several years of inactivity of the body.
“On wildlife conservation and biodiversity protection, his core area, Sir Ehanire who embodies a lifelong passion for nature, has proven that the heart of a conservationist is rooted in a deep connection to nature and an unshakable commitment to protecting biodiversity for future generations,” Dr. Kiyaramo stated.
“On behalf of BTPDI, comprising Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, and Delta states, and members of ATPN South-South region, I join his family, friends, associates, professional colleagues, and millions of well-wishers across the globe to congratulate him at 70.
“For decades, Sir Ehanire has served as a bridge between wildlife protection and community empowerment, ensuring sustainability remains a core value, not a trend, in his management of Ogba Zoo and Nature Park.
“Driven by a childhood bond with nature, he is passionate about helping others re-establish that connection. He champions community-driven conservation, where local communities benefit from protecting natural resources and become guardians of the land.
“He promotes ecotourism that funds conservation, using education to help visitors understand biodiversity while their visits directly support its protection. Actively involved in research and human-wildlife coexistence, Sir Ehanire sees challenges as opportunities to learn, often working in harsh conditions for the environment’s sake.
“Sir Andy Ehanire is the man who made sustainability a lifestyle, not a slogan. From Ogba Zoo to West Africa, his legacy lives: the ecotourism icon who turned conservation into community empowerment,” Dr. Kiyaramo stated.
