Hell means different things to different people. Ask a Nigerian and they will say hell is here. It burns them, whether indoor or outdoor.
Hell to others could be coming to their place of work on a Monday only to find gigantic trees crashed down on their goods as a result of deforestation. Such has been the case in LAUTECH of recent.
Deforestation is considered to be one of the factors contributing to global climate change. It disrupts nature’s already laid down weather pattern causing heatwaves, among other problems. Ladokites are not left out as they complain bitterly of the sweltering heat.
A Ladokite said with great contempt when passing by some felled trees on campus, “I’m sure in a few years, trees will become extinct in LAUTECH.”
The rampant deforestation has sparked the question of why trees inside the campus are the ones being felled and not those in the forest. We talked to Mr Oyatokun in the Works and Maintenance Department to shed light on this issue of deforestation on campus.
He explained that most of the trees being cut are volunteer treess that grow on their own through different means of dispersal. He said a majority of them are not wanted where they are, as they obstruct the development of the area in which they grow, and they are being cut is to give room for proper development.
Further explaining, Mr Oyatokun said some of the trees have outgrown their usefulness and have to be cut down to plant another. “It is either they are cut down or the buildings obstructed are destroyed.”
The management’s promise of stable electricity in all parts of the campus is being put to effect and that, he explained, is a reason for the felling of trees which affected some buildings in the Faculty of Engineering and Technology.
“Wire lines are to pass through where these trees are in order to provide the faculty stable electricity and to avoid the trees touching the wire line which can cause a hazard to the environment and constitute a danger to passersby when rain falls.”
He said the timber gotten from the trees are sold to saw millers and the smaller ones are sold as fire wood to interested members of staff in order to generate revenue for the school.
