When a handshake is getting beyond the elbow, drastic action to stem the tide and put the right pen in the right hole needs to be set in motion with immediate alacrity. If there is anything that has eaten deep like cankerworm and need not be taken with kid gloves is deforestation, killing, maiming and threat to life perpetrated by illicit lumbers and timber traders who are mostly non-Ife indigenes, against those farming in the Ife forest reserve. It has always been on record that this cruel act has been recurrent for years lacking adequate attention and remedy needed from the local and State authorities.
In April 2016, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, while serving as the governor of Osun State, lamented bitterly about the illegal entry and deforestation in the forest. A month after, the government issued a twenty-one days ultimatum to encroachers. Also, on June 5 2020, the immediate past governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola while celebrating World Environment Day, in Osogbo enjoined the residents of the state to stop the act capable of undermining environment sustainability such as deforestation, uncontrolled falling of trees, the gathering of fire woods among others while prepared to invoke the full weight of the law on anyone caught involved in such acts. Several petitions have been written to the government to help curtail this act but all was to no avail as this dastardly act still persist till today in Ile-Ife forest reservation despite the government order.
Going down the memory lane, the reserve forest was re-acquired by the fearless 48th Ooni of Ile-Ife, Ooni Ademiluyi, from the Ijebu’s which is the present day Ife forest reserve used for planting of trees to aide afforestation’s cum farming of plants by indigene’s and non indigene’s residing in the ancient city due to the unique fertility nature of the land forest.
Narrowing it down to subsequent Ooni’s that succeeded Ooni Ademiluyi: Ooni Aderemi who gave part of the reserve to indemnify those who lost there farmlands to the establishment of Obafemi Awolowo University and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex. Ooni Okunade, who was passionate about creating job opportunity for 30,000 unemployed youth during his reign requested the use of the forest reserve from the government. The same line was toed by the current Ooni of Ile-Ife, HIM Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, who doles out form to engage over 40,000 unemployed youth in 2015 upon ascending the throne but whose quite- essential efforts were cut short when some unscrupulous elements suspected to be illicit lumber trader’s burnt down the whole farm when carrying out there illicit act in the midnight.
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It is pertinent to note that, as the illegal falling of trees to enrich few unscrupulous persons continues, this has led to climate change coupled with habitat destruction, degradation and fragmentation. The effect of deforestation on climate change can never be over-emphasized; forest store large number of carbon as they grow for battle against climate change emissions. Experts explained that forests purify the air, preserve watersheds, stabilize soil and prevent erosion. There is always less water in the air to be returned to the soil in deforested areas, hence, it will lead to having dryer oil and the inability to grow crops. More so, forest help to protect the planet from climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide (C02), a major greenhouse gas but deforested areas lose that ability and release more carbon. Deforestation have negative impact(s); affecting global climate change and biodiversity such as change in ecosystem among others. Continuous deforestation without corresponding afforestation has significantly contributed to 10% of global warming.
In developed world, the law protects the natural environment and the violation of such laws attracts commensurate reprimand. Deforestation with its occasioned menace poses threat on our forest and extinction of some rare species of the natural habitat. Apparently, many farmers had lost their source of livelihood with the activities of this illegal timber traders that constantly fall trees on farmlands with adverse effect on cash crops like cocoa, kolanut, palm, banana trees and many more plantations awaiting harvest and generate cash income for the farmers; which has wasted both human and financial resources invested and due to be enjoyed.
Attempts to put their activities in check has snowballed to infliction of injuries, killing and other acts have in one time or the other disrupted the communal peace enjoyed by the good people of Ile-Ife and its environs.
It would be recalled that in a particular farm settlement in the forest reserve sometimes in August, 2021 where pandemonium loose broke and resulting to ruins when some farmer challenged the illicit timber traders of trespassing and wreaking havoc on there farmland. They were severely dealt with which led to the loss of life of the farmers on the spot. This escalated to a full-blown crisis between the farmers and the illicit timber traders who got enraged after a conscientious endurance as of the African illustration of a goat when pushed to the wall will turns to bite. The furious farmers came out in their large numbers to retaliate the unlawful killing of there members by descending on any timber traders they set their eyes on, either illicit timber traders or with government approval. Several people were injured and killed during this crisis that engulfed major part of the forest. This crisis lasted till November, 2021 when the luggers launched a reprisal attack, went on house to house search, ransacking and trailing of farmers who in a bid to avoid being killed by the illegal timber traders who are after their lives, had to take shelter to neighboring states in fear of being maimed or killed. The whereabouts of some farmer’s are unknown till date, among them are Ogunwusi Peter, Adesakin Damilare, Ogunwusi Samuel, Adetiloye Emmanuel and others that can’t be remembered.
On November 24th, 2022, two illicit timber traders were apprehended in Ife forest reserve and arraigned on 1st of December, 2022 before the magistrate court in Osogbo the state capital in an attempt to kill two forest guards carrying out their duties as government representatives.
If this can be done to armed government officials, how much more of the armless farmers?
Without further ado, there’s simply no way out of climate crisis if deforestation still persist. The more the activities continue, the more the community loses lives to crisis, while animals and plants species are exposed to extinction. The way forward in putting an end to deforestation, is that the state government must never get tired nor retire in their quest to eradicate illicit timber trading but rather start sensitisation among the timber contractors on the dangers attached to indiscriminate falling of trees and encourage afforestation. The government must show willingness and also show capacity that it can save the state from climate change through sensitization, ensuring security of lives and also work with the timber contractors to fetch out the bad ones among them. Conclusively, security apparatus should be strengthened to combat the irregularities in the forest through recruitment, fortification and reorientation.
.Johnson, a farmer, writes from Ife South LG, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
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