A don at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Dr David Adewuyi Oke, has identified weak monitoring and enforcement as major obstacles to effective environmental protection in Nigeria, despite the existence of laws and regulations governing the sector.
Oke, the Dean, Faculty of Engineering, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, made the observation while delivering the institution’s 14th inaugural lecture titled, “Materials and Environment: Safer Communities from Environmental Engineering Perspective,” at the North Campus Assembly Hall of the institution.
He said the country had environmental laws, including requirements for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), but stressed that the existence of legislation alone will not guarantee environmental safety unless backed by effective implementation.
“We have environmental laws and regulations, including Environmental Impact Assessment requirements, but the question is: how effectively are these laws being monitored and enforced?
“That is where we need to do more. Having laws in place is not enough; there must be effective monitoring, compliance and enforcement to ensure that environmental standards are upheld,” he said.
Oke said his lecture was aimed at drawing public attention to environmental deterioration and practices that were often overlooked but which could negatively impact the people’s overall health and wellness, while identifying measures to mitigate their effects and create safer communities.
He urged Nigerians to become more conscious of their environment, particularly the nature and level of pollution in their communities, workplaces and homes.
The engineering scholar identified noise pollution, contaminated water and oil leakage among environmental hazards requiring greater public awareness and effective intervention.
He warned that prolonged exposure to environmental hazards could have serious health implications, stressing the need for individuals and communities to understand the quality of their environment and the risks associated with pollution.
Oke also raised concerns over indiscriminate tree felling, noting that trees play an important role in maintaining environmental balance.
“Trees help absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, making them essential to maintaining a healthy environment,” he said.
The don called for greater protection of trees and improved environmental practices to safeguard communities and promote sustainability.
Speaking after the lecture, the Chairman of the institution’s Governing Council, Prof. Lanre Nassar, called for stronger collaboration between academic institutions and industries to ensure that research findings are translated into practical solutions that address national challenges.
Nassar, who is also a former Rector of the institution and former Vice-Chancellor of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, said academic institutions must ensure that their research and curricula responds to the needs of societies.
He urged industries to participate in inaugural lectures and engage with researchers to gain access to ideas, innovations and findings capable of addressing challenges confronting their organisations.
“Industry players and companies should be encouraged to attend inaugural lectures so that they can learn about new ideas, research findings and innovations that could help address challenges confronting their organisations and contribute to problem-solving,” he said.
The council chairman said stronger academia-industry collaboration would contribute to innovation, industrial development and economic growth.
Also speaking at the event, the institution’s Rector, Prof. Taiwo Lasisi, also stressed the importance of translating research outcomes into practical solutions, saying research remained the foundation of most of the world’s technological advancements, including artificial intelligence and renewable energy.
Lasisi said inaugural lectures provide opportunities for scholars to demonstrate the impact of their research and make their findings available to society.
“An inaugural lecture is not just a presentation; it is an opportunity for a scholar to demonstrate how far he has gone in his academic, research and innovation journey and project the outcome to society at large, so that people can learn from it and, more importantly, apply the knowledge to real-life challenges,” he said.
The scholars stressed the need for closer collaboration among government, academia, industries and communities to strengthen environmental governance and ensure that research and innovation contribute to solving Nigeria’s environmental and developmental challenges.
Some other dignitaries present at the occasion are Dr Taiwo Olajide, the institution’s Registrar; Mr Abiodun Kolawole Adegbola, Bursar; Mr Olukunle Akinbola Osunrinade, Chief Librarian ; Chairman of the Inaugural Lectures Committee, Mr Femi Ipadeola and other notable academics and invited guests.
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