Depravity, A Key Challenge of Poison Control in Nigeria- DON

 Poison often used to describe any harmful substance and harmful pollutants became the focal point
of study weekend at the 25th inaugural lecture of Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State.

The event which held at the university auditorium, had in attendance the deputy governor of the state, Dr. Nkem Okeke; a former vice chancellor of the institution, Prof. Ilochi Okafor, principal officers of the university and academics in and around the institution.

Delivering the lecture, the inaugural lecturer Prof. Francis Chukwuemeka Ezeonu from the department of Biochemistry, who spoke on the topic, “Poisons in the Nigerian Environment: Within our reach, beyond our control”, described poisons as substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when absorbed in sufficient quantity by the organism.

According to Prof. Ezeonu, traditional African societies enjoyed a healthy life and a safe environment contending only largely with natural hazards arising from animal poisons and plant toxins. He said, “European contact with the continent has over time increased African burden of poisons through man-made hazards. Global trends in industrialization and consumerism have imposed enormous strain on traditional habits and practices leading to a large dependence on foreign imports of drugs, foods and food chemicals associated with growth in the petro-chemical, agro-chemical, textile, military, mining and food industries”.

According to the professor of Environmental Biochemistry and Toxicology , processes associated with modernization and industrialization has undermined Africa’s safe environment. The university don further stated that emerging risks from chemical wastes, herbicides and pesticides usage, heavy metals, chemical fertilizers, oil pollutants, environmental hormones, alien organisms from imported second hand products and illegal dumping of toxic wastes overlap existing environmental issues which include disease and pestilence arising from poor sanitation, poor solid waste management, pollution, soil degradation, loss of crop and aquatic life among others. He argued that these continue to endanger public health and raise serious concerns on their short and long term effects.

On the issue of poor poison control in Nigeria, the environmental toxicologist linked it to depravity. According to him, depravity has suffocated the educational system and removed the ivory from the tower. Hear him, “Nigerian universities are poorly rated, largely because they lack the necessary tools and equipment for first rate research. Our laboratories are poorly equipped and lack the requisite instruments for identifying poisons. As a consequence of depravity, Nigerian educational and research institutions are not sufficiently equipped to meet the challenges of regulating poisons in the 21st century and this is a cause for concern”.
Prof. Ezeonu called on all scholars to rise up to the challenge to be part of the conversation that will change the university and the society at large.
Earlier in his address, the vice chancellor of the institution Prof. Joseph Ahaneku, FAS described the lecturer as a widely researched scholar expressing optimism of a worthwhile lecture. The university boss describing the importance of such lectures stated that it affords scholars the opportunity to share their ideas with friends and associates and as such the university management under him has resolved and shall continue to take full sponsorship of inaugural lectures.
According to him, this will lift the burden of sponsorship off the shoulders of interested scholars.

Highpoint of the occasion was the decoration of the inaugural lecturer and the past inaugural lecturers by the vice chancellor.

Reacting on behalf of past inaugural lectures, Prof. Sam Omeyi commended the vice chancellor for bringing life back to inaugural lectures in the university. Expressing delight at the souvenir which he noted will motivate their colleagues, Prof. Omeyi urged the management of the university to sustain the tempo of the lecture.