Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) is prepared to incorporateclimate-friendly initiatives into its activities, its Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bidemi Bilkis Lafiaji-Okuneye, has said.
She said re-introducing nature and ecosystems on campus would benefit the university community, residents of Lagos and the public.
Lafiaji-Okuneye spoke last week at the Annual Tree Planting Ceremony on the main campus in Oto/Ijanikin.
The event was organised, in collaboration with the Lagos State Government.
The VC, who was represented by the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Dr. Morufu Adedayo Daodu, said the warnings from the environment underscored the enormity of the environmental hazard confronting the human race.
“Current weather extremes already affect millions of people thus putting food and water security at risk, and threatening agricultural supply chains and many coastal cities. Also, climate change is deeply intertwined with global patterns of inequality,” she said.
The don said as the impacts of climate change mount, millions of vulnerable people faced disproportionate challenges in terms of extreme events, health effects, food, water, and livelihood, migration and forced displacement, loss of cultural identity, and other related risks.
She said planting and preserving trees were assured ways to stimulate the production of enough oxygen to fortify that of the ozone layer to properly shield the earth planet from the sun’s ultra-violet rays.
She thanked theNigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) for donating 400 tree seedlings to the university and the Lagos State Government for the yearly tree planting initiative.
NCF representative Ms. Salawu Folake enjoined attendees to embrace the planting of seedlings as well create awareness on the essence of planting trees, adding that it would enable healthy and conducive environment.
Before the commencement of planting of tree seedlings, Daodu charged staff and students of the Department of Agricultural Education to be the custodians of the trees to ensure nature is well preserved.