• By Oluwole Ogundele

Overpopulation is an unending societal phenomenon tied to the apron strings of expansion arising from increase in births among other factors. This is a threat to the environment at any point in time. An imbalance between human population and environment leads to a lot of stresses and strains. It is tantamount to overloading or over-exploitation of environmental resources such as soils, vegetation, animal and plant species. Similarly, the atmosphere is polluted. Fumes from the numerous power generators in our residential places and offices in Nigeria are poisonous. They (fumes) contain a considerable amount of carbon monoxide which pollutes a given space. This point gains its relevance against the background of the fact that tree planting in residential areas is not yet a popular settlement behaviour in this part of the world.

Suffice it to say, that trees breathe like human beings. However, they inhale carbon monoxide and exhale oxygen needed by humans. Therefore, without trees around our houses, we will be breathing in polluted air (carbon monoxide-filled/laced air). This leads to several health challenges involving the hearts and lungs among other organs. Such a situation negatively affects public health and sustainable development in the long run. Again, the misleading notion that the prodigious population of any country (particularly without some future-sensitive planning) has no adverse effects on the environment, must be erased from our national vocabularies of popular discourse. It is a total disconnection from reality, to see overpopulation as a source of power. A highly populous country without sophisticated sustainable development policies, is a disaster to humanity.   Overpopulation disturbs the equilibrium! Education, economy, health, and security suffer a great deal. Up to now, Nigerians are taking from the environment without putting back. This means that modernisation theory with its deep roots in colonialism still occupies a pivotal position in the scheme of things, after more than six decades of independence from Britain.

If truth be told, previous efforts by different administrations to reduce population growth rates in Nigeria, had not been sufficiently successful. This scenario is anchored among other things, to religious and political considerations in an uncritical manner. This is at variance with the principles of social contract inseparable from good governance.

Child-bearing like pigs or rabbits in the 21st century, is one of the vestiges of savagery. It is inimical to modern education and development. No culture is fixed once and for all! Overpopulation enables pollution levels to go up astronomically. The disequilibrium leads to a chain reaction with a special emphasis on aggravated insecurity, poverty, and political instability. Despite this existential reality, many Nigerians believe that Providence is there to take care of their over-numerous children who later become a nuisance to society. Shifting the blame smacks of spiritual and intellectual bankruptcy.

Environment and population growth eminently straddle the line between theoretical and practical boundaries. In 1950, the population figure was 38 million or thereabouts. It went up by seven million in 1960. In 2010, the country had 158 million compared to 206 million in 2020. The population figure is approximately 233million in August . It seems that the government is helpless as far as the issue of overpopulation is concerned. This is very dangerous for sustainable peace and development. No workable development plans. It had been estimated that the population of Nigeria would be 377million by 2050. This would make it, the third most populous country in the world.

If care is not taken, most Nigerians would be living in squalor in the next two decades or thereabouts. A lot of Nigerian settlements especially those experiencing rapid urbanisation (without any corresponding infrastructural planning) would be slums. The current environmental degradation and poverty would be a child’s play compared to what is likely going to happen in the near future except the governments both at the national and sub-national levels, wake up from their slumber.

Again, the ontologically unending rural-urban migrations basically traceable to material poverty, encourage greater noise, air, water and solid waste pollution. According to the World Bank, Nigeria generates over 32 million tonnes of solid wastes in a year. The figure would go up to 107million or more by 2050. This would adversely affect public health and economic progress.  Therefore, there is no room for empty rhetoric as the clock ticks. Up to now, most Nigerians are well known for throwing household trash along the roads to “decorate” them (roads). Waste management services are generally poor or non-existent.

Most urban dwellers live with mounds of trash. Consequently, abominable stench is no longer irritating to us. Our market places are in most cases, an eye sore. Foodstuffs are often unashamedly displayed on heaps of wastes. Open dumping of refuse and burning, are the two popular methods of waste management. Although there is a legislation aimed at enhancing environmental protection and by the same token, public health, much success has not been recorded. Thus, for example, the Harmful Waste (Special Criminal Provisions) Act of 1988 prohibits without lawful authority, the dumping or depositing of harmful wastes in the air, land or waters. But effective enforcement or implementation remains a far cry from what was/is intended.

This situation is inseparable from endemic corruption, inadequate numbers of dump sites, and overpopulation. Recycling refuse especially the biodegradable stuffs like food wastes, dead animals and plants for manure, can go a long way in boosting agricultural productions and protecting our environment. On the other hand, plastic wastes that are a form of pollution can become re-usable after recycling.

Recycling or processing of wastes is yet to gain in popularity in this country due basically to uninformed self-satisfaction on a monumental scale. Proper waste management is a lucrative business in most developed countries. Such an enterprise is future-sensitive because it is ecologically friendly. Despite the fact, that the US is the biggest producer of wastes in the world, the issue of proper environmental management is often treated with utmost seriousness. Waste management in the US is anchored to a workable legislation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the 1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulates waste management.

Nigeria should learn from the US in this connection.  Environmental protection in Nigeria must be an assignment for the local, state, and federal governments. Even the private sector has a critical role to play. Each local government council area needs to have several dump sites or landfills. Large-sized refuse drums have to be provided for each house. Trash is collected weekly while each household pays monthly for the collection services.  Fertilisers are produced from the organic wastes.  Landfills become factory sites. There is need for birth control. Public enlightenment campaigns by the relevant government agencies cannot be glossed over. We need a rise in education as if tomorrow matters.  Rearing children like pigs or rabbits is retrogression to 18th-century cultural practices with negative consequences. For instance, out-of-school children are potential terrorists like Boko Haram members, kidnappers, and bandits. Therefore, our leaders across the board, should stop their unending political theatrics and focus on the issue of environmental and economic sustainability – the foundation of good governance.

•Prof Ogundele is of Dept. of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan.