 And in sports, Nigerians have advised to protect the mangrove forests, which are rapidly depleting due to anthropogenic and natural factors. This advice was given at a 20-23 edition of a 10-kilometer eco-ron put together by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation aimed at making Nigerians to preserve the eco-services derivable from the mangroves. Our correspondent Paul George was there. In Nigeria, preserving the mangrove ecosystem is important to keeping and protecting coastal states and areas from flooding and being washed away. To this end, residents of Iberjuleki have trooped out to catch a glimpse and also cheer athletes in their community for this eco-marathon. The race is not just for fun, but also to sensitize Nigerians about the dangers of losing the mangroves, which help to protect climate change. The keynote speaker Dr. Joseph Onoja says Nigerians must, as a matter of urgency, start planting to save the world. The convener of the marathon, Chidi Jerry, explains the reason to protect the mangroves. He speaks alongside the presidential candidate of African Action Congress, Amoy Elishoura, who joined in the race and a director in the State Ministry of Environment, Tolulu-Lokwe Adeyo. Reading grant for fishes, they help to shield the land, protecting the land from coastal erosion and also help to take out carbon from the atmosphere, what is called carbon sequestration. And they also are a source of medicine to look at communities. I'm drinking polluted water growing up. Acid rain is falling on our roots and the eco system has been devastated by all the conflicts. So I want to tell people environmentalism is not picking up plastic on the streets. It's about the climate crisis that is bugging the world now. So that's what gets involved. Mangroves are great assets to the communities and they are great carbon sinks. They are special and everything that we've been complaining about climate change, the mangroves we do so much. If the trees are saving say like five or ten percent of carbon, mangroves we save more like 40 percent. Chairman of Ibejuleki LCD, Razak Kasali and the Lagos lawmaker representing the community, Hajiayi Oladile, are not left out in the campaign. The first mangrove of this, we are delighted and I believe that the shortcomings that we observe will be taken into consideration in the next episode. I'm very very happy to be here. This is part of this kind, this local community and see all the, not all the participants make me happy and see the people here. We are happy and we need more of it and with this at least to enlighten our people more and more. An athlete five from China and the winners who participated in the mangrove marathon expressed delight in the race while hoping for another. Yeah I feel good, I feel good, energetic. I'm not tired, I just yeah I'm from my best to meet my bb. I feel good because it's my first time to come this marathon. I'm planning this game since January to come win this game. So I thank God I win this race successfully. Oh I bless God and I thank God for those people that organized this race to say more grace to their ebbs. I feel okay because the first guy was, he's a brother to me from home. We train together so I don't feel any disappointment or bad about it. The highlight of the event is the presentation of medals and cash prize to the winners Paul George plus TV news.