A renowned expert in Environmental and Analytical Chemistry, in the Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology (EMT), College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM), Prof. Olukayode Bamgbose, has passionately appealed for a united effort to combat the escalating environmental crisis.
The distinguished figure in Environmental and Analytical Chemistry gave the charge in a compelling address during the 84th Inaugural Lecture at the Professor Oluwafemi Balogun Ceremonial Building,Federal University of Agriculture,Abeokuta .
Titled “In the Footprints of the Environment: Every Contact Leaves a Trace on our Common Future,” the lecture underscored the pressing need to recognize and address the growing environmental impact resulting from human activities.
Speaking on governmental support for research, Prof. Bamgbose advocated increased governmental funding for universities to sustain ongoing research aimed at identifying and mitigating human impacts on the environment.
He proposed the establishment of state-of-the-art laboratory complexes across geopolitical zones, equipped to monitor and understand these impacts comprehensively.
On public awareness and education, the don Highlighted the importance of heightened public awareness, Prof. Bamgbose, also known as KGB, stressed the necessity of educating the populace to combat indiscriminate human footprints on the environment.
He emphasized that ignorance could be overcome through education and called for concerted efforts to enlighten people on responsible environmental behavior.
Addressing the economic implications of environmental degradation, Prof. Bamgbose linked high fuel prices to deforestation and increased environmental damage.
He urged the government to prioritize improving the economy, thereby positively impacting citizens’ lives and reducing the environmental toll.
On population growth and environmental Impact,the professor highlighted the exponential rise in population as a key driver of heightened energy, food, and material consumption, indicating a significant surge in human impact on the environment.
Stressing the critical need to preserve a healthy environment, he emphasized the responsibility to future generations and advocated for a legacy of a clean, habitable, and safe environment for the global community.
Earlier, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, the Vice-Chancellor,Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, commended Prof. Bamgbose’s virtues, describing him as a stalwart dedicated to the causes he believes in.
The lecture marked a significant milestone as the second in the Department’s history and the twelfth in the College of Environmental Resources Management.
Platform Africa
