Temple Oraeki

Temple has lived, worked and studied in various parts of Nigeria. His first degree was in Chemistry, which he obtained from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in Northern Nigeria. He worked at a bank for a number of years, where his main clients were petroleum companies. Pollution of ground water by various organisations and the rampant shortages of clean water in every part of Nigeria he lived in drew his attention to the need for a strong voice to advocate for clean water, which is accessible for all in Nigeria.

Temple recalls having to buy “sachet water” to drink, wash and cook with in Enugu during the dry season, when the Well that met his water needs ran dry. Even when the Well was not dry, the water it provided was not clean. In Lagos, the taps seemed to be a decorative ornament, as he cannot recall water ever running from any of the taps in his house. He relied on water vendors (mai’ ruwa) to meet his water needs.

Temple’s strong desire to make a positive difference to the water and environmental pollution in Nigeria led him to the University of Surrey, where he is currently studying for a Master’s degree in Water and Environmental Engineering. In addition to English, Temple speaks the three main Nigerian languages: Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo fluently.