A former Minister, Ministry of Niger-Delta Affairs, Dr Usani Usani has called for the engagement of professionals in efficient environmental management to ensure sustainable development.

Usani, who is from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, made the call during a lecture in commemoration of the 70th birthday and retirement of a former Vice Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Prof. Adeniyi Gbadegesin.

The programme held at the University of Ibadan was themed: ‘’Instrumentality of Geo-informatics as Patent Tools for Environmental Governance’’. Gbadegesin is a former Head of Department of Geography and former Dean of Social Sciences of the University of Ibadan.

The former minister stated that geographic tools establish connections between actions and reflexivity that give effects to certain situations and how they resonate to affect, influence or change established conceptions.

Usani said the field of geography possesses the skills of interpreting invisible networks of interactions as casuals of effects that appear to be obscure and undefined but socially significant and impactful in health and economic sectors.

According to him, ‘’one of the important ways to conceive of ways of managing environmental issues is the power of creative thinking to be able to sustain any approach.’’

He said the essence of environmental sustainability is to manage the resources in a way that is presumed will support the needs of the present generation and the unseen generations in future.

He said, ‘’The background of environmental management arises from the economic exploitation of the earth’s resources, which are found on the earth’s crust and the consequences of such actions. This is critical to the spatial expression that makes geography inevitable in the sustainability agenda. Spatial domains are characteristic of grid identities that show locations.’’

In his remarks, a former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Chief Akin Onigbinde (SAN), who was the chairman on the occasion, lauded the contributions of Gbadegesin to academics and humanity.

Among the dignitaries at the event are the Vice Chancellor of UI, Prof. Kayode Adebowale; Deputy Vice Chancellors – Professors Peter Olapegba, Aderonke Baiyeroju and Oluyemisi Bamgbose (SAN), and Vice Chancellor, Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, Prof. Olanrewaju Olaniyan.

Others include the Oyo State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof. Tunji Babatunde, the Director-General of National Institute for Policy and Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Prof. Ayo Omotayo and Prof. Adeolu Akande, who were the special guests of honour.