As Nigeria pushes for economic reforms, experts have called on the government and private sector to prioritise the development of botany, stressing the nation’s rich plant biodiversity holds potential for economic growth, scientific innovation, and global competitiveness.
Specialists, and professors at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Botany@60, organised by the department of Botany, faculty of Life Sciences, have advocated that Nigeria must be intentional about embracing the potential of botany or be limited in its economic, scientific, and social advancements.
Oluwarotimi Fashola, special adviser to the Lagos State governor on Agriculture and Food Systems, in his keynote address titled, “Botany the Cradle of Crop Production, Opportunities and Challenges: The Rice Value Chain” on Thursday, October 9, said that the country can either embrace the potential that botany offers or remain tethered to outdated systems that limit our growth.
“Nigeria stands today at a crossroad. We can either embrace the potential that botany offers or remain tethered to outdated systems that limit our growth,” he said.
Fashola emphasised that botany is a dynamic field that touches every sector of the society; hence, the country must be deliberate in harnessing its potential.
He explained that over two percent of the GDP of Netherlands is tied to botany-related activity, such as agriculture, vegetable farming, food farming, greenhouse, innovation, and agrotech, among others.
Similarly, he said that in India, centuries of deep botanical knowledge have led to global breakthroughs in plant-based medicine and wellness.
This, he stressed, is a good model for the country to emulate and grow its economy and become globally competitive.
He commended UNILAG for maintaining a biological garden, especially with the department of botany.
“This should be more than just a green space. It must be a national treasure and a global opportunity. But it cannot reach its full potential without deliberate investment,” he noted.
Fashola advocated for the establishment of a robust public-private partnership that will involve NGOs, companies, government agencies, and community stakeholders to transform the UNILAG’s biological garden into a reference of excellence, a place not only for research but for recreation, learning, and healing, among others.
In the same vein, Dele Olowokudejo, chairman of the anniversary event, reiterated that food security is a social security, stressing the need to preserve the plants.
“The issue of sustainable living is central to other beings on earth. The science of conservation is key. We owe it a duty to look after other organisms,” he said.
He maintained that human health and economic development is tied to how well a country optimises and invests in the development of botany potential, which he said, Nigerians are yet to feel the impact of many of the botanic beings, though they exist there.
Peter Adeonipekun, head of the Department of Botany at UNILAG, said the department has come a long way and proven its worth in teaching, research, innovation and community services.
“The University of Lagos, Department of Botany stands out with the number of sub-disciplines of botany in operation, apart from academic excellence, it is noted for.
The department has capabilities in plant taxonomy and biosystematics, molecular biology, mycology, plant pathology, algology, palynology, paleoecology, biostratigraphy , aerobiology, ethnobotany, plant histology, plant ecology, plant anatomy, plant conservation , and plant biotechnology,” he said.
Besides, he said the UNILAG’s Department of Botany, has served as one of the best-rated centres for plant authentication, and voucher preservation in the world.
Ganiyu Oyetibo, dean, Faculty of Life Sciences at UNILAG urged the Lagos State government to provide the department with enough land to facilitate the students research and hand-on learning experiences.
He assured the state that the Botany Department will upscale the quality of the Eko Rice if given the opportunity through the needed partnership.
Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, the immediate past vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos and other past lecturers and alumni of the department grace the occasion.
The event also featured the launching of the anniversary project, “UNILAG Bioconservation Centre”, and awards.
