By Gabriel Dike
In order to sustain the tree planting exercise, the acting Vice Chancellor, Lagos Sate University of Education (LASUED), Prof. Bidemi Lafiaji-Okuneye has appealed to Nigerians to teach children and young adults the importance of environmental education.
She made the passionate appeal at the annual tree-planting event, the first under the new status of the institutions. The exercise attracted top functionaries of the state, senior management of LASUED, staff unions, students and traditional rulers.
Prof. Lafiaji-Okuneye stressed the need to constantly teach the importance of environmental education to kids and young adults.
“We must keep enlightening them on how their decision and daily activities affect the environment. We also must help them to build the knowledge and skills necessary to address complex environmental issues, identify simple, day-to-day actions to improve the environment for a sustainable future, “she stated.
According to her, sustaining tree planting exercise would make a difference in ensuring a safe environment for people to live and thrive.
Said she: “Trees are vital part of our natural environment and an immense contributor to human life. Most often, we plant tree to provide shade and beautify our landscape.
“Trees produce oxygen and purify the air we breathe by removing harmful particles from the atmosphere. Studies have shown that by spending quality time among trees and in green spaces, the social benefit of trees to reduce the amount of stress that we carry around with us in our daily lives is significantly enhanced.’’
Lafiaji-Okuneye said aside the economic benefit of generating income from sale of fruits and woods, the value of our homes increases higher than similar ones with no landscape.
The acting VC observed that in reality man cannot live without trees as adopting and co-existing in harmony with nature becomes incontrovertible.
She explained that as an institution, groups and individuals must begin to take concrete steps to build a sustainable relationship between humanity and nature.
The university don assured that LASUED would join hands with the Lagos State Government in its effort to landscape and beautify the state, adding, “we must see tree planting as a civic responsibility and be devoted to its nurturing and management.’’
The high point of the ceremony was the planting of trees by the acting VC LASUED senior management, present and former government officials, traditional rulers and the students union.