• Firm committed to green education
By Kola Alhassan, KWASU
It is imperative to align university curriculum with the demands of the green industry to ensure universities expand their environmental programmes and to draw students to those areas of endeavour.
This was the position of the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Shodex Beautification Landmark Limited, also known as Shodex Gardens and Parks, Olusola Adekoya.
Speaking on the importance of green education for students, he noted that the impact of green education initiatives of the firm has been profound.
He said: “Recognising an initial knowledge gap in climate education and environmental issues, we understood that to foster change with positive planetary impacts, enhancing awareness and literacy in these subjects was crucial. Thanks to the efforts of our team, there’s a growing consciousness about environmental stewardship and the importance of preserving ecosystems that provide essential services for human well-being. We document and regularly update the progress and impact of these initiatives on our platforms.
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“For over 20 years, Shodex Gardens has been a leader in landscape architectural design and beautification for a diverse client base. We also offer garden maintenance services. Beyond that, it serves as a hub for education and recreation, featuring a mini-zoo, plant nurseries, a restaurant, children’s playgrounds equipped with modern facilities, a conference centre, and much more.”
On establishing separate university of environmental studies and tourism, he said:”Establishing a new university for these fields may not be necessary. Existing institutions are capable of offering short-duration, specialised certificate courses that equip individuals with the skills needed for the environmental and tourism sectors. Rather than increasing the number of universities, we should focus on accrediting current institutions to provide these programmes and licensing graduates to work professionally in these industries.”
Adekoya lauded universities for addressing climate change issues through student education in the sciences and environment-related disciplines, adding that many students who have interned at his firm from various universities have gone on to make significant strides in environmental research and issues.
On how government can leverage tourism and environment to boost the economy, he said: “The government can stimulate economic growth by investing in infrastructure that enhances tourism and by collaborating with the private sector to maintain and improve public open spaces like what we did with Shodex Gardens, what you people see here today used to be hideouts for miscreants and street urchins, we saw the potential, got necessary approvals and by God’s grace created what has become one of Nigeria’s foremost gardens and horticultural establishment.”
Adekoya while speaking on drawing inspiration from nature and the creation of Shodex Art Gallery, said: “As an experienced landscape gardener and environmentalist, I have drawn inspiration from the natural world and its myriad perspectives, such as the intricate patterns on butterfly wings. Landscaping is inherently artistic, extending beyond flora to ‘hard landscaping,’ which involves sculpting space with a variety of materials to craft visually delightful experiences. The art gallery emerged as a platform to showcase the full breadth of my professional artistry and to enlighten others about the vast potential within the field of landscaping.”