A former Nigerian Ambassador to Australia, Ayo Olukanmi, has said that a quarter of the global health challenges is caused by environmental factors, with about 7 million people dying annually as a result of air pollution. Ambassador Olukanmi, who is also the Vice-Chairman of the Fight Against Desert Encroachment (FADE), disclosed this last Monday (February 22, 2015) in his keynote address at a symposium organised by the American Chemical Society (ACS), Nigeria International Chemical Sciences Chapter, held at the University of Ilorin.

The diplomat, who underscored the alarming degradation and damage caused by hazardous chemicals to the environment and the planet, lamented the inability of developing countries, including Nigeria, to properly handle issues of hazardous chemicals and pesticides as well as the disposal of unwanted stocks of pesticides and other chemicals.

Ambassador Olukanmi said, "There is the African stockpile programme of pesticides which were stored all over the country and were used while we were growing cocoa and other cash crops; they were all over the place and as I speak to you, they have soaked into the ground affecting the entire area where they are". He added that all these have implications on human health with about 500,000 people dying as a result of exposure to dangerous chemicals. He lamented what he called the "pervasive and cavalier approach to the use of chemicals" in the country, adding, "Closed chemical factories are spread all over Nigeria and the African Stockpile project identifies Nigeria as one of the countries with the greatest expired abandoned chemicals stockpile consisting of pesticides and agro-chemicals."

According to the diplomat, the scourge of cancer being experienced in Nigeria is partly a result of the misuse of chemicals and chemical products and hazardous and electronic wastes. He cited the ubiquitous chemicals market across the country "where they are sold and dispensed without due regard to safety, instruction or direction for use and their application".

On how to curb the scourge, the former envoy called for a collaborative relationship between the Chemical Society of Nigeria and the Chemicals Division of the Federal Ministry of Environment, "in addition to identifying abandoned factories and chemical dump sites across the countries for possible remediational work possibly within the framework of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)".

While declaring the event open, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON), pointed out that having an Association of this type on the shores of Nigeria is very important both for research and academic work. Prof. Ambali, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. (Mrs.) N.Y. S. Ijaiya, stated that in this age of globalization, it was very important for "our scientists to collaborate with people abroad so as to share experiences that can also bring development to our dear nation."

The Vice-Chancellor explained that collaboration and partnership will bring about a lot of benefits, which include research collaboration and linkages, staff and students' exchange and sharing of knowledge and materials which will boost academic performance and Nigeria's development. He then enjoined the younger scientists to avail themselves of the opportunity of benefiting from the wealth of experience of senior members of the Association, who have traversed the world before they retire.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Association, Prof. Joshua Obaleye, stressed the importance of academic collaboration, while urging scientists to always domesticate their ideas garnered abroad for the benefit of the nation. Among the dignitaries at the event were the Registrar of the University of Ilorin, Mr. Emmanuel Obafemi, represented by Mr. M. Adegoke; the University Librarian, Dr Joseph Omoniyi and a representative of the Bursar, Mr. Isaac Ogunbiyi.

Participants were drawn from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State; the University of Uyo, Cross River State, the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, the University of Ibadan and the host institution, the University of Ilorin.