… As FUNAAB Holds 93rd Inaugural Lecture

By Olasunkanmi Olajide & Temiloluwa Osinuga

A renowned expert in Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof. Omotola Jayeola has called for the enactment of legislation to ban open grazing in Nigeria, even as he emphasised the need to promote wildlife ranching, highlighting the critical role of community trust and cooperation in conservation efforts.

Delivering the University’s 93rd Inaugural Lecture today, August 21, 2024, titled “The Tragedy of Consumption and Conservation: A Paradox of Community Emancipation,” Prof. Jayeola of the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM), urged the Federal Government to encourage states to outlaw open grazing, mirroring practices in other parts of the world.

He stressed the need for national legislation to support this move and called for increased investment in ranching. “Integrate wildlife ranching into the rules of engagement as a means to conserve game and the environment for food security,” Prof. Jayeola stated.

The conservationist underscored the importance of preserving biodiversity to prevent extinction, criticising the current focus on production at the expense of conservation, which has led to severe environmental degradation.

As a former Director of FUNAAB Zoo Park, Prof. Jayeola advocated for comprehensive land use planning and mapping to demarcate areas of intensive use, such as agricultural zones, plantations, buildings, academic structures, and nature reserves for indigenous flora and fauna.

Addressing the challenges posed by the Land Use Act, he called for amendments to distinguish land administration responsibilities between federal, state, and local authorities, as well as landowners.

The 93rd Inaugural Lecturer also called for the activation of the Eriti Watershed Community Forest Model to safeguard community resources, emphasising the need for intervention agencies to focus on activities that encourage rural dwellers to support conservation efforts, particularly within protected catchment areas, without disrupting food production.

He solicited for greater synergy among government agencies such as the National Park Service, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Agro Ranger, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), and non-governmental organisations like the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) and African Nature Investors (ANI). Such collaborations, he argued, would yield more effective results in conservation efforts.

He, therefore, commended the Federal Ministry of Environment, particularly the Federal Department of Forestry, for their efforts in fostering inter-agency cooperation in enforcing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Earlier in his Address, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde who is also the Chairman and Chief Host of the Inaugural Lecture, expressed gratitude to all attendees, noting Prof. Jayeola’s extensive research on the ecology and biodiversity conservation of Nigeria’s forests and wildlife resources which has taken him to almost all of the country’s protected areas.

The Vice-Chancellor observed that his expertise has also been sought by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Environquest Consult, the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), and the World Health Organisation (WHO), among others, leading him to work in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Benin Republic, and Turkey.

The Lecture was graced by notable dignitaries, including Dr. Ibrahim Goni, Conservator-General of the Nigeria National Park Service, Abuja; Prof. Deji Omole, Chairman of Governing Council, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH); Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, Former Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC); Bishop (Prof.) Adewale Solarin; Prof. Ololade Enikuomehin, Former Ag. Vice-Chancellor; Dr. Agbola Okeyoyin, Assistant Conservator-General rtd; Prof. Samuel Onadeko, Former Director of FUNAAB Zoo Park, and many others from within and outside the University.