EGGHEADS in universities have said a lot of wealth and sustainable development can be engendered through proper environmental health management.
The experts, comprising a former Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Olufemi Bamiro; the Provost, College of Medicine, UI, Prof. Olayinka Omigbodun; a Prof. of Analytical Environmental Chemistry at the Hallmark University, Ijebu-Itele, Ogun State, Toyin Arowolo; a Prof. of Civil Engineering, University of Ibadan, Akinwale Coker; a Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Management, Lead City University, Ibadan, Grace Oloukoi; and others.
They stated this during the first yearly Professor M.K.C. Schridar Memorial Lecture held at the Kesington Adebutu Hall, Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where they called on the Federal Government to channel its resources towards developing multi-disciplines and sustainable development in the country.
The programme was organised by the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan in collaboration with the Nigerian Network for Awareness and Action For Environmental Health (NINAAFEH) and the Environmental Health Scientists’ Association, Nigeria (EHSAN).
Bamiro maintained that the late Schridar’s contributions are numerous to mention, adding that the late erudite channelled his research to collaboration through which fertilizer was made and introduced the essence of multidisciplinarity into the research sphere of the Nigerian university system.
In his keynote lecture titled: ‘Environmental Health Key to Wealth Creation and Sustainable Environment’, Arowolo noted that a healthier environment could prevent almost one-quarter of the global burden of disease. “COVID-19 is a reminder of the delicate relation between people and our planet”, he said.
Arowolo highlighted 12 R’s which could enable sustainable environmental health, discourage importation tendencies, air pollution, and undue wastages, including remember, respect, refuse, reduce, reuse, return, refill, rot, restore, repurpose, repair, and recycle.
In their contributions, Coker said there was a need to address environmental challenges, and encourage investment in environment protection.Oloukoi said Nigerians should move from grey to green with the reflection of communal settlement, ecological settlement, and translational research, while this is more domesticated locally in the educational curriculum.
The Provost, College of Medicine, UI, who was represented by Prof. Godson Ana, who is the Dean of the Faculty of Public Health of UI, described the late Schridar as a library of knowledge in Nigeria and Africa, despite being an Indian. He said his over 50 years stay in Nigeria is priceless, urged both Federal Government and citizens to increase enviropreneurial services, new system technologies, maintain and fulfil the 17 SDGs, engage skilled personnel in the environment and health services for a sustainable environment.
The UI VC, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, who was represented by the Provost, Postgraduate Studies, Prof. A.S Ogunjuyigbe, described the late Schridar as a detribalised personality.
