OAU Don Advocates Joint Effort for Nigeria's Forest Conservation

Professor Anthony Odiwe, a distinguished Professor of Botany at Obafemi Awolowo University, has issued a strong call for collaborative action among various entities, including government agencies, research institutions, private sector organizations, and civil society groups, to ensure the effective implementation of sustainable forest management practices across Nigeria.

During his address, Professor Odiwe also urged communities that depend on forest resources to actively engage in conservation initiatives. He emphasized the importance of participatory governance models and the creation of sustainable livelihood opportunities that support vital ecosystem services.

This significant appeal was made by the academic while delivering the institution's 423rd inaugural lecture. A copy of the lecture, titled “Human Exploration of Forest Ecosystems: A Blessing or a Curse?”, was obtained in Osogbo on Wednesday. In it, Odiwe presented findings from three decades of ecological research, indicating that human interaction with forest ecosystems is neither inherently beneficial nor inevitably destructive.

He clarified that the ultimate outcome of such exploration is largely contingent on its approach, intensity, and underlying purpose. “Human exploration becomes a blessing only when it evolves into stewardship. It is therefore obvious that forests are not victims of exploration but of unregulated exploitation,” he asserted.

Professor Odiwe implored policymakers to adopt forest policies that are ecosystem-based, recognizing forests for more than just sources of timber and land. He explained that such policies should also account for crucial functions like carbon storage, nutrient cycling, biodiversity conservation, watershed protection, and other essential ecosystem services.

The professor identified pollution as a major contributor to forest degradation, advocating for conservation efforts that directly address the impacts of agrochemicals, industrial emissions, and improper waste disposal.

Odiwe, who also serves as the chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), expressed profound concern over Nigeria’s escalating rate of deforestation. He passionately stated, “We must do everything possible to preserve our environment. Preservation does not mean we will not make use of our environment, but we must do it in such a way that it is sustainable. We must not destroy our environment.”

He further lamented the widespread destruction of forests throughout the country, noting, “We have destroyed our forests. You can hardly go anywhere and find a forest. You can’t even find a secondary forest, let alone talk about a primary forest.”

According to Professor Odiwe, many of the environmental challenges currently facing Nigeria are directly linked to degraded ecosystems. He clarified that the aim of his lecture was to raise awareness that environmental protection is not solely the responsibility of botanists and foresters, but rather a collective obligation for all.

Consequently, Odiwe called on all Nigerians to unite in safeguarding the environment and to develop collaborative solutions to the pressing challenges confronting the nation’s forest ecosystems. He concluded by emphasizing, “There has to be collaboration between the government, academics and everyone involved. We must first be convinced that we need to protect our environment. Once that is done, we can begin to build the synergy needed to address these challenges.”