Pattern of Environmental Degradation and the Development
Efforts in the Nigerian Environment
By
Dr. H.I Jimoh
Department of Geography
University of Ilorin, Nigeria
Abstract
This literature search discusses the pattern of spread of the incidents of environmental degradation
in Nigeria. Further, it is observed that the anthropogenic factor considerably explains the incidence of this
man-induced environmental stress whose problems have been well celebrated in the literature. Such
problems have been observed to be of varied dimensions in the four cardinal directions in Nigeria. For
example, the magnitude of the problem is more pronounced in the former Eastern states of Nigeria
compared with the Western and Northern Nigeria put together. However, desired development efforts to
improve on the welfare of the residents in such affected areas were highlighted. Essentially, a super
solution to solving the problem is to adopt the application of Environmental Education which is capable of
getting the prospective land users educated as to how best to relate with the general environmental settings.
Introduction
The term “environment” is better appreciated as perceived. Thus, the term defies a
universally acknowledged method of description or definition. For instance, environment
has been conceived as a system within which living organisms interact with the physical
elements (Sada, 1988). This means that, environment can be conceived as the condition,
circumstances and influences of organisms (Strahler and Strahler, 1977). In addition, the
environment is made of a number of spheres which include the hydrosphere, atmosphere,
lithosphere and biosphere. Within these spheres are a number of interrelated activities in
operation. Consequently, the environment is perceived in this work as the general
surrounding where a number of interrelated activities take place within the environmental
system and between man and the environment.
Man’s relationship with his environment has always changed with time,
depending on his understanding and knowledge of the physical environment. However,
the natural environment is generally endowed with variable quantity and duality of
resources within the space (Simmons, 1981). Thus, man has come to regard his
environment as a depot housing his needs and is therefore always seeking for ways of
extracting these resources within it. The pattern of the relationships can be discussed in
three phases of age (Jimoh, 2000). These phases are the Palaeolithic, Neolithic and the
Modern Ages.
The Palaeolithic era marked the era of environmental determinism, where the
environment essentially provided for man. In essence, man depended on what the
environment provided. This relationship is due to the low level of man’s technological
development as the degree of man’s impact on the environment was minimal.
The Neolithic era was the iron age when equipment were fabricated with metals.
This was due to some remarkable improvements in man’s technological development.
Thus there was a marked interaction between man and his environment. Also, man
tended to develop some options of need outside what the environment offered and
proceeded to develop ways of accomplishing such set objectives.
Finally, the modern age marks the jet age when man decides on what to do within
and outside his environmental setting. Indeed, this period epitomizes a number of
destructions inflicted on the environment, many of which were done inadvertently.
From the perspective of physical and cultural landscapes, the physical or natural
environment indicated that the environment is in its natural state and the features of the
physical environment include rivers and water bodies, trees, hills/mountains, mineral
resources such as iron ore, gold, manganese, diamond, silver, columbite and petroleum,
among others. The cultural landscape, on the other hand, denoted that an interaction has
taken place between man and his environment. Such activities that are human-based
include agriculture, mining operations, sinking of boreholes, wells, tree-felling,
construction of bridges, houses, road networks and railway, among others (Robinson,
1976). Thus, every organism sees the environment as a resource store which he can
conveniently fall back on for all his needs (Faniran and Ojo, 1981). However, efforts
made by man to harness these environment-based resources have translated into
environmental degradation. By this second component of the environment, it is clear that
due to growth in human population, the desire for a better condition of living has ensued.
In meeting this drive, the earth’s natural plant and animal life have been replaced with
economically more productive species. This development is certainly in conflict with the
natural conditions. One of such conflicts is the emergence of environmental degradation,
which is the subject of discussion in this work.
Essentially, environmental degradation relates to the depreciation in the qualities
and quantities of vegetation, soil air and water resources, among others. However, miller,
(1989) puts environmental degradation more succinctly to mean a downward trend in the
environmental resources such that their level of use in the human societies equally
decreases at an increasing rate.
Types of Environmental Degradation
Environmental resources cover soil resources, vegetation, minerals of all types
and grades, air and water resources including sea animals and fishes, other animals and so
on. The issue of environmental degradation comes into play when these resources
dwindle in size, as in the case of sea animals, land animals and vegetal covers (see Miller,
1989). In this regard, environmental degradation is adopted to describe the scenario.
The constituents of environmental degradation include: soil erosion, deforestation,
animals facing extinction (loss of biodiversity), land degradation, among others (see
Barrow, 1995; Odum, 1983). In any case, environmental degradation in any area may
assume the form of chemical and biological degradation, aerobic or anaerobic
biotransformation and mineralization processes. The position here is that, all of these
forms of environmental degradation relate to the gradual exchanges between soil
minerals and the complex interactions between the fauna and other microorganisms in the
soil.
Factors of Environmental Degradation
The issue of environmental degradation has assumed a global perspective. That is,
there is no place in the world today that is not faced with one form of environmental
degradation or the other. The magnitude of the incidence differs greatly. However, basic
to the discussion of the factors initiating environmental degradation is the anthropogenic
activities. Man by nature is gregarious and is out basically to capture all opportunities to
his advantage and, in most cases, disregarding the consequent reactions of the
environment to the activities (Jimoh, 2000 and Table 1). From Table 1, it is evident that
man is into a number of activities capable of degrading environmental quality. This is
probably because due regard is never accorded the environment after exploitation.
Table 1: Percentage Distribution of Land Use Types in Nigeria
Land Use Types
Percentage Occupied
Open grassland
18.56
Wood Greenland
26.13
Woodland
4.61
Forest
4.34
Swamp forest
3.18
Good farmland
23.00
Marginal farmland
18.72
Plantation (timber, rubber, oil palm)
0.32
Water and urban areas
1.13
Total
100.00
Source: Federal Department of Forestry (1980), as cited in Okafor (1988)
More specifically, a traditional approach to the utilization of the environment is
the tilling of soil in the form of agricultural practices (see Table 1). By this uncontrolled
practice on virgin land, the consequence of rainfall (land interaction) is usually one of
splash erosion with the attendant cataclysmic effects on soil nutrient status and the
general suitability for a number of other agriculture-related uses (Jimoh, 1997). Closely
related to this are lumbering activities with the attendant consequences of forest
destruction, loss of desiccations and thus, limiting its uses. Further is the harvesting of
water resources such as fishes and other sea animals. In most cases, chemicals, such as
Gamalin 20, are used to capture the fishes. These chemicals normally render the water
resource unfit for human consumption and wipe the fishes out (see Jimoh, 2002). Put
succinctly, this singular application of chemical to harvest the water-related resources,
provokes water pollution (Olawepo, 2000). Also, the incidence of petroleum extraction is
yet another serious issue, especially in the oil-producing areas of Nigeria. In these areas,
oil spills are frequent and the attendant problems are several and hazardous on the
environment, the resources and man (See Table 2).
Table 2 depicts the rates of environmental problems due to man’s uncontrolled resources
exploitation efforts in the Nigerian environment.
Table 2: Environmental impact of fossil energy resources
S/N Specific impacts
1. Exploration
Mining Activities
Landscape disturbance
2.
Land degradation and ecosy
stemdestabilization
Mineral extraction
3. Processing
transportation, storage and
consumption.
Gas leaks, oil spills, noise and
pollution of the air, soil and
water.
General Effects
Aesthetic deterioration of
landscape, path construction and
trampling in wilderness.
Land surface devastation
(including erosion), land
subsidence, disruption of
drainage systems, deforestation,
excessive water drawdown, and
lowering and contamination of
the water table.
Thermal body of waterways,
increase in co2 and co. ozone
layer depletion acidification of
air, soil and water, weather
modifications, toxicity hazard to
plants and consumers, death of
terrestrial and marine life, loss of
crops and livestock, impairment
of atmospheric visibility,
vehicular accidents, damage to
buildings and machinery, nervous
disorder, respiratory diseases,
cardiovascular illness, cancer and
food poisoning.
Sources: NEST (1991)
Generally, the incidence of environmental degradation is provoked early by the
anthropogenic factors, which considerably explains the preponderance of their problem in
the Nigerian environment.
Pattern of Environmental Degradation
Environmental degradation has certainly assumed a definite pattern in Nigeria.
For example, in the eastern part of the country, erosion has ravaged much of the vast
lands. In this area, both active and inactive gullied surface areas range from 0.7 km for
Ohafia and 1.15 km for Abiriba in Abia State. The width of the gullies ranges between
2.4 km for Abiriba and 0.4 km for Ohafia. Further, a minimum depth of 120km gullied
surface has been recorded at Abiriba (Ofomata, 2001). Also, the problems of widespread
sheet wash erosion explain the failure of agricultural activities. This is to say clearly why
soil erosion is a stress on soil resources which has some far-reaching consequences on
man and his environment (Jimoh, 2000). In the northern axis of Nigeria, erosion is
equally serious, especially in places like Shendam and Western Pankshin in Plateau State,
Ankpa and Okene in Kogi State. Again, sporadic rainfalls in 1994 rendered people
homeless in Kastina State, Nigeria, while properties worth over 400 million naira (apart
from lives) were lost.
Gullied erosion is also prominent in Efon-Alaaye, Ekiti State in the western part of the
country. (Adeniran, 1993).
Generally, the observation of the patterned nature of environmental degradation
reveals that no part of Nigeria is spared from this wreckage. However, Environmental
degradation is more noticeable in the eastern axis and closely followed by the northern
part of Nigeria.
Aspects of Development in Environmental Degradation
Development represents the emergence from a primitive state through progressive
advancement in sustained socio-politico-economic growth and stability to improved
standards of living for the citizenry (Adeyemi, 2002). Alternatively, Rodney (1978)
explains the term development to imply skill and capacity, greater freedom, creativity,
self-discipline, responsibility and material well-being. Indeed, development encompasses
a process of improving the quality of human life which involves raising the standard of
living of people (income and consumption level of food, medical services, education and
other infrastructural development); creating social, political economic systems and
institutions which promote human dignity and respect, and increasing freedom of choice
of goods and services.
Essentially, development can be likened to a concerted effort geared towards
improving the qualities of a deteriorated environmental system with a view to improving
the living conditions of the inhabitants. In this regard, the attendant problems of
environmental degradation have been of serious concern in a number of highly
deteriorated areas of Nigeria. A case that readily comes to mind is the oil-producing
communities in Nigeria. Frequently, failure on the part of government to effect either
adequate or appropriate compensation with a view to healing degraded areas often
translates into a number of uprisings, either against the workers or the government. The
consequences of these have been well documented on the pages of national dailies.
Often, a number of development programmes such as schools, health facilities
(such as hospitals, clinics), construction of roads, bridges, electricity and general
environmental maintenance are often embarked upon with a view to improving the
standard of the environmental setting and the general well-being of the residents. Thus,
the issue of environmental degradation is of serious concern in Nigeria.
Approaches to Studying Environmental Problems
Environmental degradation is a fundamental subject matter in the discourse of
environmental issues. Essentially, environmental degradation is made up of the
components of causal factors, types, problems and patterns, dimensions and the responses
to the problems put in place by the activities of the degradation. Thus, the aspect that
constitutes a focus of investigation decides the nature of the investigation (Jimoh, 2003).
Specifically, there is a need to clearly spell out the philosophies of the study
(aims), demarcation of the study area, i.e; using relevant maps to achieve these
objectives, types of data required to accomplish the philosophies of the work, materials
and methods of data collection, analytical framework and conclusion. By this design,
opportunities are therefore made available to be in touch with the role(s) of
“environmental degradation” and also the extent to which it has modified the general
environmental setting.
Responses to Problems of Environmental Degradation
The responses to any problem of any nature depend on the perceptions of the
problem. Thus, the following steps can be adopted with a view to ameliorating the
conditions of the degraded areas in Nigeria.
(1) Application of Land Suitability Classification Technique: This relates to
classifying land areas into specific use for which they are best suited. In essence,
parcels of land can only be subjected to uses for which they best suited. By this,
indiscriminate problems can be minimized.
(2)
Creating environmental Awareness: the existence of environmental degradation
has warranted a number of discussions among both the elite and the non-elite
classes. Thus, there is the need to explore the possibilities of reaching out to people
that really matter with a view to finding solutions to the problems. Such effort may
assume the form of public enlightenment campaigns, lectures, distribution of
pamphlets, posters and workshops.
(3) Legal Policy Frameworks: this effort falls within the jurisdiction of the government
of the day. By this, it is expected that policy statements or guidelines are made
available to all and sundry as to what constitutes an offence when an area is being
degraded, whether knowingly or inadvertently. There should also be appropriate
punishments for offenders in such documents.
(4) The Adoption of Environmental Education: environmental education relates to a
proper manner in which the environmental system should be interacted with.
Essentially, environmental education spells out the expected environmental
reactions vis-à-vis the human interactions. Against this backdrop therefore,
individuals should avail themselves the opportunity of clear understanding of what
the concept of “environmental education” entails. Further, to perpetuate the
adoption of environmental education, the concept should be adopted in schools’
curricula, especially from primary to tertiary levels of education in Nigeria.
The overall impact of these suggestions towards maintaining and sustaining a
healthy environment worthy of human habitation.
Conclusion
The living sphere is the biosphere where different types of human activity thrive.
The consequences of some of these activities have warranted this discussion. But the
issue being discussed has been precipitated by anthropogenic factors and the emerging
problems assumed a well-defined pattern, which can possibly be restored through the
application of the land suitability classification technique, creation of awareness,
formulation of legal framework and the adoption of environmental education in the
school curricula.
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