A lecturer with the University of Ibadan, Dr Olajumoke Alabi, has called on Nigerians to preserve the ecosystem, saying all living organisms can only survive in a healthy environment.
Alabi, who is of the Department of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology of the university, made the call on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
She made the appeal while delivering a faculty lecture on “Live and let live: Insect pest management for improved crop production”.
Alabi, who decried indiscriminate use of pesticide in crop cultivation, said it polluted the environment.
“We may be heading for another apocalypse if we refuse to change our attitude and sustain the practice of live and let live.
“We should not be unconcerned about the plights of other living organisms in the environment, let us remember that the earth belongs to all living creatures,” she said.
Alabi, who is an agricultural entomologist, called for creation of an insect rearing facility in the country and in the university, to raise continuous supply of insect species for research.
This, she said, would fast track research activities and also serve as source of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
Alabi expressed the need for upgrading and refurbishment of the Insect Museum at the department to meet world standard and create IGR.
She appealed to concerned Nigerians to uplift the status of the country’s education system.
According to Alabi, those interested in conserving biodiversity should support the department to achieve the goal.
She stressed the need for the establishment of state-of-the-art equipment for crop protection research.
“We need to create sericulture unit for entrepreneurship and IGR, we can set up and manage a sericulture unit for the university.
“Pests and diseases are biotic factors that can significantly limit crop productivity,’’ Alabi said.
She listed some of the benefits that man derived from insects to include honey, propolis, beeswax, wood finish, artificial human nails, silk, and thread for suturing surgery patients.
According to Alabi, humans derive good protein and highly digestible, rich sources of fat, vitamins and minerals, especially iron and zinc, from insects.
By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko
