A professor of Forestry Engineering at the University of Ibadan, Ayodeji Oludare Omole, has described the Nigerian forests as some of the most threatened in Africa.
He attributed the challenge to high population growth rate, forest conversion to subsistence and industrial agriculture, illegal logging, and unsafe environment.
Professor Omole made these observations while delivering the institution’s 561st inaugural lecture, which was the 11th in the series for the 2023/2024 academic session on behalf of the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources.
The title of the lecture was ‘Working in the Shadows of Death.’
According to the don, the banes of forestation are the risks associated with planning and carrying out any planting operations in the forest areas.
He noted that many farmers in different parts of the country have lost their lives right on their farms to the sporadic shootings of insurgents, bandits and unknown gunmen
Professor Omole observed that though most of the attacks are from the Northern parts, the ripple effects are being felt all over the country, adding that this has affected the economic growth, foreign exchange earnings and stability of the country.
According to Professor Omole, Forest Engineers often find themselves “working in the shadows of death” while on duty.
In spite of this, he said forest engineers will continue to play a critical role in managing and protecting forest resources, supply of timber, pulpwood and other forest produce to meet the demand for wood and fibre materials for national development.
He said this highlights the importance of safety improvements and support for those in the profession.
He recommended that the federal and state governments should support reforestation and afforestation, restoring ecosystem functions and increasing forest cover.
He also urged financial institutions to support the initiatives to mitigate climate change, improve food security and increase prosperity and employment.
He added that special financial allocation for forestry is crucial for sustainable forest management, ecosystem health and resilient communities.
As a former chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Omole also lamented that the Nigerian University System (NUS) is under siege and therefore ‘working in the shadows of death.”
He said if nothing drastic is done to stop the various attacks from the government and its agencies, the system will die faster than anticipated.
He noted that the university system was captured and had been held hostage by many government policies, especially since the advent of civil rule.
He listed such policies as Nigerian University System Innovation Portal (NUSIP), the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the proposed imposition of Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) as anti-intellectual policies which have made the running of ideal University system impossible in Nigeria.
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