By Abolaji Adebayo
The Vice Chancellor of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya and other environmentalists have called on the state government and other stakeholders including the individual residents to make effort towards restoring the land and water bodies in the state.
Speaking in commemoration of the 2025 World Environmental Day with the theme ‘Restoration of our land and Water Bodies: Greening the Lagos Mega City’, held at LASUSTECH, Ikorodu campus, the VC urged proactive action towards the protection of land and water.
According to him, the issue of environmental degradation calls for urgent action to protect human lives, sating that world environmental issues are everyday life issues which must be tackled.
Citing the recent flood disaster in Makes, Niger State, the VC said there is need for the celebration of Environmental Day where the experts are gathered to seek solutions to such issues.
He appreciated the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Commissioner for Environment, Wahab Tokunbo for their efforts on preservation of environment in the State especially as regards plastic wastes.
“The whole world has been talking about plastic wastes, Lagos State, being a courageous state, went into action to ban the use of some plastics and make sure the drains are free across the State. Someone in Kaduna is using plastics to build houses and toilets for people.
“Environmental Day will expose LASUSTECH to the world for people to know that it is not all about academics alone, we also participate in climate protection.”
He, therefore, urged the university commute to be more conversant with their environmental issues and all issues that affect the environment.
He mentioned that a firm is coming to Lagos to take care of the wastes.
Giving his keynote speech, an Environmentalist Activist and Chairman, Lekki Conservation Centre, Desmond Majekodunmi, said environment is about human life issues.
Majekodunmi noted that 2.5m sq km – 35% of the forests has been degraded, “these forests make rainfall in part of America, we are destroying it. Lake Chad has lost 10% of its original size.
He said the Mokwa flooding was caused by global warming, climate change “and this has been foretold but nothing was done to address it, and now we are suffering for it.
“With respect to the flood at Mokwa, what would be the solution to such issues in case it happens in other parts of the country is that we need to really want people that are living on the flood plains, because there are areas that would attract more flooding than others, and we can’t just tell them to go. We have to give them alternatives. That’s the solution.
“Climate change is what mainly caused it, because it was a very heavy rainfall. Nigeria, as the Giant Of Africa, needs to bring other African nations together to talk to the international community and demand for reparation money, demand for money that we can use to adapt ourselves to it, to grow massive amounts of trees and so on, and to also be able to transit and the thing is, if we can come together as a country, as a continent, we shall get what we need from the international community because guess what, the world needs Africa more than Africa needs the world. So, it’s all a matter of coming together and doing the right thing.”
The Environmentalist commended the management of LASUSTECH for preserving their environment.
“Call it environment. It’s actually our life support system. So we can’t neglect our life support system, and we have to make sure that we protect it, because the system itself has been in perpetual motion of protecting itself anyway.
“So I’m so delighted to come to this particular university that is spearheading that call for protection of nature. This is wonderful. I’m so proud of them. And even there’s a green space, the campus itself is a very green space. They made the car park, but they didn’t remove all their trees, and they put the right species of tree so it’s not causing too much obstruction, but it’s giving shade. You know, I love it.
“They are definitely giving a good, practical message of looking after nature. The thing about nature, if you look after her, she will look after you.”
