ABEOKUTA, Ogun State — Nigerians have been warned against the indiscriminate sale of ancestral lands to outsiders, with a caution that the practice could strip communities of critical biological and mineral resources needed for future agriculture and economic survival.
The warning was given by seasoned agroforestry expert from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Prof. Sam Oluwalana during a
StepDown Practical Agroecology Training on environment health for sustainable agricultural production for the present and generations yet unborn.
The free training held iin Abeokuta wad facilitated by Health Of The Environment Foundation (HOMEF) and GMO FREE NIGERIA and powered by Greenlinks International owned by an Horticulturist Mr. Sanya Falemu, who served as the lead speaker and coordinator.
The training which stressed the need to embrace environment friendly chemicals such as bio fertilizer and organic Pesticides drew farmers and agro-dealers from across Ogun State.
The programme was facilitated by Health of the Environment Foundation, HOMEF, and GMO Free Nigeria, with training in Ogun State undertaken by Greenlinks International.
According to Prof. Oluwalana, many ancestral lands contain untapped herbs, insects, and soil systems that sustained crop health for generations without synthetic chemicals.
He said once the lands are sold, these resources are often lost permanently, making it harder for future generations to revive indigenous farming practices.
“Such lands hold value that cannot be measured in naira today,” Prof. Oluwalana stated. “Once they are sold outright, the biological and mineral assets that future generations ought to inherit and depend on would have been sold away at a cheaper rate.”
He urged farmers to blend traditional knowledge with modern agricultural science, and to treat indigenous farming methods as both cultural heritage and economic assets.
Prof. Oluwalana also pointed out the commercial potential of neglected herbs and insects in medicine, pest control, and organic agriculture, urging Nigerians to revisit old farming wisdom for soil health and income generation.
By Dr.Waheed Ogunjobi_
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