"Plants are the lifeline of humanity," Prof. Aworinde stressed during OAUSTECH's 5th Inaugural Lecture, titled "Internal and External Signature: Requirements for Ordering and Reordering in the Plant Kingdom" on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 in Okitipupa, Nigeria.
He emphasized the critical role plants play in providing food, clothing, shelter, medicine, furniture, adornment and oxygen, highlighting the urgent need for collective efforts to preserve Nigeria's diverse plant life.
The distinguished professor of botany underscored the necessity for concerted global efforts to reciprocate the invaluable benefits that plants bestow upon humanity, as he emphasized the importance of judiciously utilizing, harvesting, and conserving plants without resorting to abuse, mutilation, or aggression.
The professor contended that the reckless felling of entire trees or plants for the sake of a few leaves reflects a lack of appreciation for the divine endowment of these indispensable botanical entities, insisting that such unsustainable practices not only disrespect the sanctity of plants but also jeopardize their existence and reproductive capabilities.
Furthermore, Prof. Aworinde highlighted the spiritual essence of plants, suggesting that unsustainable harvesting practices could provoke adverse reactions from the spiritual essence of plants. He called for the enlightenment and guidance of plant collectors and users, including traditional medical practitioners, herbalists, hunters, herb vendors, traditional midwives, and individual consumers, on the significance of sustainable harvesting methods.
With a focus on plant morphology, anatomy, taxonomy, ethnomedicine, and conservation, the professor stressed the importance of maintaining order within the plant kingdom. He advocated for a multidisciplinary approach integrating morphology, genetics, ecology, and environmental science to ensure accurate classification and reordering of plant species.
By elucidating the medicinal attributes of various plants through their distinctive features or "signatures," Prof. Aworinde underscored the conscious design of these botanical entities by a higher power. He cited examples such as the resemblance of a carrot's cross-section to the human eye, the brain-like appearance of a walnut, and the fetal position of an avocado seed, all indicative of their therapeutic potential for human well-being.
In addition to fulfilling basic human needs, plants serve as vital sources of human and veterinary medicines, cosmetics, construction materials, ceremonial items, and raw materials for various industries. The professor enumerated different categories of plants essential for human welfare and environmental sustainability, including food plants, medicinal herbs, fiber plants, spices, beverages, dye plants, construction materials, insecticidal plants, industrial commodities, and soil-enriching plants.
Prof. Aworinde urged the federal government to allocate adequate funding to research institutions dedicated to botanical studies in Nigeria, emphasizing that research plays a pivotal role in discovering new knowledge crucial for national development.
In his closing remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of OAUSTECH, Prof. Temi Ologunorisa, commended the inaugural lecturer for his scholarly achievements in botany, particularly in plant anatomy and taxonomy. He highlighted the lecturer's efforts in unveiling the practical values of plants as sources of sustenance, income, and healing for various ailments.
The Vice-Chancellor appealed to the Nigerian government to implement policies safeguarding and preserving endangered plant species across the nation for the collective benefit of humanity.
Principal Officers, Deans and Directors, HRM Oba Obatuga and Prof Aworinde
The 5th inaugural lecture at OAUSTECH was attended by the Registrar, Mr. Abiodun Peter Okunniga, the Bursar, Mr. Ganiyu Bamidele Aminu, distinguished academics from various parts of Nigeria, industry leaders, university deans, the family of the inaugural lecturer, and His Royal Majesty, Oba Michael Obatuga Adetoye, the Jegun of Idepe-Okitipupa, among other dignitaries.
SIGNED
Abiodun Peter Okunniga, FITD, MNIM, MANUPA,
Registrar and Secretary to Council
Thursday, 31 October 2024 14:04
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