Zoologists and other life science experts have urged Nigerians to adopt sustainable environmental practices to ensure a safe environment and healthy human population.
They made the call at the 18th Annual International Conference of the Zoological Society of Nigeria (ZSN), held between November 25 and 27, 2025, in Ibadan.
The Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of the Conference, Prof. Aina Adeogun, in her address, said the conference theme, “The Path of Healthy Ecosystems to Productivity and Sustainability”, emphasized the multidisciplinary nature of zoology and its impact on environmental, animal and human health, particularly with regard to pollution and biodiversity decline.
Adeogun, Professor of Aquatic and Molecular Toxicology and current Head of the Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, said most of the challenges faced by Nigerians, especially health problems, could be attributed to the way people manage their environment.
“We should give the environment what we want the environment to give back to us. Our environment is full of used plastics, and these plastics contain chemicals that can cause cancer, obesity and other health problems.
“One of the subtopics of our conference is about plastic pollution because it is becoming a major scientific and social problem.
“We are experiencing declining biodiversity and health problems due to the way we manage our environment. If we want a healthy human population, we need a healthy environment. Chemicals from the plastics we throw into the ground are leaching into bodies of water; pollution is causing a decline in living organisms in our environment.”
The National President of the Zoological Society of Nigeria, Prof. Alexander Odaibo, in his address, said the theme of the conference has significant relevance to the difficult times of the Nigerian economy and to concerns over global climate change.
“We are hopeful that the various plenary discussions and periodic/technical presentations at the conference will inform better and more productive future practices for all participants,” he said.
The keynote speaker of the conference, Prof. Bernard Bolaji Babatunde, while speaking on the topic “Sustainable Use of Resources: A Panacea for Ecosystem Health”, said that as the human population continues to grow, there is a need to establish a balance between resources that are extracted from the environment and those that are replenished.
Babatunde, Professor of Radioecology/Environmental Biology and current Senior Special Adviser to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, noted that a balance in this represents the truest tool for the continued existence of the human race.
Furthermore, the keynote speaker of the event, Prof. Christian Happi, from the African Center of Excellence in Infectious Disease Genomics at Redeemer University, while speaking on the topic “Genomic surveillance and characterization of microbial threats facilitates early detection and containment of disease outbreaks in West Africa”, urged the government to provide more resources in the area of supporting research and development.
“There is no country in the world that is successful without a substantial investment in university education, a substantial investment in the health ecosystem.
“Innovations come from research centers; no one will come from anywhere to help us solve our problems.
“We must also be intentional about the investment we are making in the research and development space, education in general, and we must try to avoid further brain drain in our academia and in the health sector,” he said.
In his opening remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, said the theme of the conference was not only timely but also critically urgent, particularly in an era defined by the twin challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, where the delicate balance of our ecosystem is under unprecedented threat and extinction.
“This issue brings us to face a fundamental truth: that human productivity and long-term sustainability are linked to the health of the world around us,” he said.
He noted that the University of Ibadan remains committed to providing leadership in research and innovation aimed at solving social problems, noting that the Department of Zoology has a long history of excellence in teaching and research in areas such as wildlife conservation.
“We will continue to support our researchers and create an environment for the kind of cutting-edge science this moment demands,” the VC said.
The conference also featured plenary lectures, a health talk, keynote lectures, presentations and the awarding of scholarships from the Zoological Society of Nigeria to some members in recognition of their immense contributions to zoology, science and society.
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