Wetlands, due to no
visible utility to human are largely being ignored by us. Even today in the
era, where global warming, climate change and sinking of water table is such a
big issue, the initiative to conserve them has not yet been considered. Well, the
problem is not only their ignorance, nor we can blame it on the people neither
the government, the problem actually lies in the unawareness about the
wetlands. In Nigeria for example, lack
of experts in Aquatic Sciences, and less studies on wetlands is regarded as one
of the major factor responsible for wetland loss. Also, wetlands are percept as
‘wastelands’, that’s why whenever there is a pond or lake in nearby
locality, people start dumping household wastes, sewage etc into it.
Lagos, sometimes referred to as Lagos State to
distinguish it from Lagos Metropolitan area, is a state located in Southwestern
geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It lies between Latitude 6022¹ and
6042¹N
of Equator and Longitude 2040¹ and 4020¹ of Greenwich Meridian. It is
bounded in the North and East by Ogun State, in the West by the Republic of
Benin and Atlantic Ocean in the South. Lagos metropolis, the current economic
capital of Nigeria is a low-lying coastal city endowed with a number of lagoons
and wetland ecological assets. Lagos/Lekki Lagoons being the largest with a
combined size of 646km2 are fringed on many sides by wetlands. Spatial data analysis shows that over 74 communities in Lagos have
interconnection with wetlands: Iju, Abesan, Ayobo, Ijon, Baruwa, Shasha, Idimu
Igando, Iba, Wesere, Otto Okoko, Ijanikin, Ago Palace way, Maryland (Ojota),
Ikorodu, Ibeshe, Idena, Itokin, Lekki-Ibeju, Langbasa, Badore, Ogudu, Egbe,
Oke-Afa, Mafoloku, Snake Island, Ogogoro village, Takwa-Bay, Okobaba and University of Lagos.
In the last ten years, over 30 wetlands have been
studied extensively in Lagos State. Despite the huge amount of money currently
been channeled into advocacy and protection of wetlands in the state, the rate
of degradation of available wetlands in the state is at an alarming rate. Differentiating wetland loss and wetland degradation,
Moser, Prentice and Frazier (1998) explained wetland loss as the loss of
wetland areas due to the conversion of wetland areas to areas of non-wetland
due to human activity, while wetland degradation is the impairment of wetland
functions as a result of human activity. Wetland loss could also mean the change or
transformation from vegetated wetland to uplands, drained areas or submerged
habitats which initially supported wetland dependent organisms. In other words,
a wetland is considered to be lost if it has been degraded or developed to the
extent that it has lost a considerable amount of its natural functional values,
as would occur if it was severely eroded or drained and planted to pastures.
Unlike the other parts of the country where
agricultural activities are the major causes of wetland degradation. The
primary cause of wetland loss in Lagos metropolis are human motivated factors.
Such human motivated factors listed by researchers include incessant sand
filling, waste depots, development of shanties/ illegal squatters, religious
abode and conversion for other economic uses. Studies carried out by Odunuga,
Omojola and Oyebande (2011) revealed the reduction of Lagos wetland from
708.96ha in 1965 to 7.10ha in 2005. Also,
research questionnaire administered on Registered Estate Surveyors and Valuers
and Conservation officials with over ten years experience in Lagos revealed
that urbanisation is the first major factor causing the degradation, depletion
and subsequent loss of wetland ecosystems in Lagos. Sand-filling of wetland
site for construction ranked second while conversion of wetlands for housing
and infrastructural development were both ranked third. Toxic chemicals and
industrial wastes emptied into wetland came fourth in ranking while the
disposal of non-biodegradable wastes into wetlands is ranked fifth. Dredging of
wetlands, climate change and the unsustainable conversion of wetlands were
ranked 6th, 7th and 8th respectively. It could thus be deduced that
urbanisation is the major factor causing the degradation, depletion and loss of
the wetland resources in Lagos. (Ajibola et al., 2016).
As we join the rest of the world to celebrate World
Wetland Day 2018 with theme: Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future, it is
critical to highlight the important role of urban wetlands in making cities
liveable especially for a fast growing mega city like Lagos.
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