SOMOLU GLOBAL NEWS EDITORIAL OPINION. Vol.2 N0.4

" TREE PLANTING IN RESPONSE TO EVOLVING CHALLENGES ON CLIMATE CHANGE. "

On Tuesday 14th July, 2009, Tree Planting Advocacy Campaign was decentralized. At Ajegunle Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government, Lagos State, Dr. Muiz Adeyemi Banire presented the Welcome Address that day. He is the Honourable Commissioner for Environment. In his words : “it (Tree Planting) was taking place in so many locations throughout the State including Mobil road, Ajegunle; Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island; Oba Ogunji road, Agege; all Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas; Educational Institutions; Military Formations; Police Formations; and Prisons to mention but a few. Lagosians from all walks of life have been mobilized to be part of this year’s celebrations”.

Tree species of various kinds were reportedly planted across the length and breadth of Lagos State during the historic Tree Planting Campaign. Apart from ‘Terminalia Montalis’, ‘Pinus Carribea’ selected in 2008; ‘Casuarina‘, ‘Lagostomia‘, ‘Yellow Phycus‘, ‘Lupia‘, ‘Neem‘, ‘Terbeboa‘, ‘Delonix‘, ‘Flame of the Forest’ and ‘Palm’ were said to be planted this year. It is laudable that the Lagos State Government under the leadership of Mr. Babatunde Fashola had institutionalized the Tree Planting Campaign and declared the 14th July of every year as Tree Planting Day in Lagos State. As we write, the stretch of “Moshalashi to Otta boundary has been planted as well as Jibowu to Maryland; Command road to Ipaja; Isheri road, pen cinema; Meiran to Command Road; Oregun road, Ikeja; Sekunmade road (Ogolonto TOS Benson road) Ipakodo; Ikotun to Igando; Ikotun Itsheri roundabout; Ekoro Agbelekale to Abule Egba; Ikotun to Ijegun road; Apapa; Yaba to Iddo; and Wempco road, Ikeja;” Right now, over 650,000 Trees had been reportedly added to the Tree Bank and Tree wealth of Lagos State. Bravo ! In fact Dr. Muiz Banire’s closing remarks centered on a plea : “I implore you to further spread the gospel… Plant a Tree everyday…” In his Keynote Address, Mr, Babatunde Fashola, the Lagos State Governor reiterated the theme of the United Nations for June 5, 2009 - World Environment Day Celebration - “ Your Planet needs you, unite to combat Climate Change’. He re-affirmed that “Trees improve the aesthetic value of the environment” and that “Government Agencies; Corporate Organizations; and individuals have been willingly replicating it (Tree Planting)”. He went on to intimate us that “ as the population of the world increases daily, there is unquestionably an urgent need to build more houses, establish more industries, make more furniture, build more schools and equip them with tables and chairs among other needs.” He signed off with a clarion call : “let us make tree planting a cardinal part of our culture by becoming faithful ambassadors of Tree Planting”.

Tree Planting in itself is a service to humanity thus, it is worthy of emulation from countries like Malaysia. We at SOMOLU GLOBAL NEWS even took part actively in this year’s Tree Planting exercise and to that effect we salute unreservedly the great Tree Planters like Bisi RODIPE, Wangari Maathai (of Kenya) as well as UNEP (United Nations Environment Program). If not for any other reason, research had shown that Carbon Dioxide, which is used by plants during photosynthesis to make sugars that may either be consumed in respiration or used as the raw material to produce other organic compounds needed for plant growth and development; is produced by Human beings during respiration and in return plants give us Oxygen - what a balance Trade by Barter. Carbon Dioxide -CO2 is also a major component of the Carbon Cycle. But when there are no sufficient Trees and Carbon Dioxide is in higher concentrations (amounts above 5,000 ppm) it is categorized as highly injurious to Man and animals and at 1% (10,000ppm) it is toxic and can make one feel drowsy. At 7% to 10%, it will cause dizziness, headache, visual and hearing dysfunction, and unconsciousness within a few minutes to one hour. For these reasons, it is sacrosanct requirement to plant Trees in order to continually ensure healthy living. Human beings make use of oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide (waste). Trees take in Carbon Dioxide and give us Oxygen - what a perfect balance. We need more Trees and Trees need more men.

But those brouhahas over unending Power outage need precise answers from the government. The kind of mobilization for Tree Planting Campaign in Lagos could also be channeled for the conclusion of IPP (Independent Power Projet) and all hands must be on deck. 1080 Megawatts was reportedly the required distribution in Lagos State but only 200 Megawatts was available since 1999. Even with the meager amount of 200 Megawatts, a revenue of about “N1 billion” was provided to the then NEPA and in addition all the Cement factories had been on an aggregate on N19M each into the coffers of NEPA as at the time of the TINUBU ‘s administration.

Without Power Supply, it is a situation akin to famine in the land. The phenomenon is rapidly paralyzing businesses and rotting lives. It is stale news to mention again that many businesses have folded in Nigeria only to re-open in Ghana. The recent visit to Ghana of the American President was also a pointer to this deficiency.

SOMOLU GLOBAL NEWS and its Publishers - FOSTER’S BEAUTYWAYS LIMITED have suffered many bouts of blow coming from unending power outage and as a result some editions of the weekly newspaper could not see the light of the day. Matter-of-factly, it is now one month running and power supply had been rare as gold in most parts of Nigeria. The Masses are Planting Trees and canvassing for Tree Planting with empty stomach occasioned by unavailability of Electricity. These Soldiers of men that will continually plant Trees will need to walk on their stomachs. Just like Napoleon Bonaparte of France once theorized.

Your Excellencies Sir, if United Nations were to be speaking from the shoes of Nigerians, the theme for this year’s world Environment Day Celebration would have read : “stop the mass production of Carbon Monoxide (toxic gas) and join the Nations celebrating years of uninterrupted Power Supply”. With the production en masse, Carbon Monoxide in Lagos State alone may place us in the GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS as the best State producing Toxic Carbon Monoxide. At an average of at least two or more generating sets in every building in Lagos State, working day and night; imagine the carbon monoxide that we are generating every minute. Carbon Monoxide - CO is an odorless, tasteless and colourless yet immensely toxic gas. It’s molecules consist of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom, connected by a covalent double bond and a dative covalent bond. It’s toxicity and poisoning abilities are fatal. When combined with hemoglobin (HbCO) which kills the power for blood to deliver oxygen to the body tissues (a condition called ANOCEMIA). Research showed that concentrations as low as 667ppm can cause up to 50% of the body’s hemoglobin to convert to Carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO). Carbon Monoxide can reportedly compromise other important molecules in the body as Myoglobin, and Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidate. Thereby causing extreme damage to the heart and central nervous system. Also, it has severe effects on the fetus of a pregnant woman. It is deadlier than the attack of a Snake.

Whatever degree of progress the IPP is enjoying now, we enjoin the government to prioritize the acceleration of the IPP and even after its realization and kick starting in Lagos, the IPP may not run uninterruptedly. Therefore SOMOLU GLOBAL NEWS offers that a law should be passed in Lagos State (as well as at the Federal level) that a LAW BE PASSED TO ENFORCE ALL POWER GENERATING SETS MANUFACTURERS TO INCLUDE A CATALYTIC CONVERTER (IN GENERATORS) WHOSE FUNCTION IS TO ‘OXIDIZE’ CARBON MONOXIDE (toxic gas) and produce carbon dioxide like human beings.

Our research also showed that in human physiology, “carbon monoxide is produced naturally in the human body as part of normal metabolism. The endogenously produced and used. CO may have important physiological roles in the body. Such as a neurotransmitter or a blood vessels relaxant. In the neuronal system, it has been shown to be involved in learning, memory and odor response… it provides cardiac protection in the circulatory system. It has roles in the immune, respiratory, productive and gastro intestinal systems as well as in the kidneys and liver. Abnormalities MCO Metabolism have linked to a variety of disease processes including neurogenerations, hypertension, heart failure, and inflammation. In addition, CO regulates inflammatory reactions in a manner that prevents the development of several diseases such as atherosclerosis or severemalania. Consumption (in high concentration) of Carbon Monoxide is synonymous to the attack of a Shark. Deadly. It will be recalled that two young men died in a Barber’s Shop on Queens Street, Sabo, Lagos as a result of uncontrollable consumption of Carbon Monoxide overnight some months ago.