By Ayodeji Fortune Oluleye (Ògo Àkúré)
Convener Ògo Àkúré Mandate Group
The persistent and offensive odour being experienced across parts of Akure, particularly during the night and early hours, has become a matter of serious environmental and public-health concern.
For several weeks, residents in communities including Oba-Ile, Shagari, Onigari, Ijoka, Alagbaka, Oda Road and surrounding areas have reported the disturbing odour, with some residents expressing concerns about symptoms such as headaches, throat irritation and difficulty breathing.
As a son of Akure, an environmental management professional and a stakeholder who deeply cares about the wellbeing of our people, I believe this is a moment to move beyond speculation and focus firmly on science, evidence and practical solutions.
I commend the Ondo State Government and the Ministry of Environment for responding to the concerns raised by residents and for engaging environmental professionals and consultants to investigate the situation.
The Ministry’s preliminary findings have reportedly ruled out the Ala River as the source and indicate that the odour may be associated with the release of certain organic compounds into the atmosphere. However, the specific compounds, their characteristics and the exact source are still being investigated.
This is the right direction, however, the people of Akure and Ondo State deserve a more definitive scientific answer:
- What exactly are we breathing?
- Where is it coming from?
- What is its potential health impact?
- And, most importantly, how do we stop it?
LET US TURN THE CHALLENGE INTO A SOLUTION
I therefore respectfully suggest that the ongoing investigation be strengthened into a comprehensive Akure Air Pollution and Odour Source Assessment, involving environmental scientists, analytical chemists, public-health specialists, environmental health professionals, geospatial experts and other relevant institutions.
- Comprehensive Air-Quality Monitoring:
Air-quality monitoring stations and portable monitoring equipment should be deployed strategically across affected areas, particularly during periods when the odour is most intense.
Samples should be collected at different locations and times to establish the pattern, concentration and movement of the pollutants.
- Determine the Chemical Composition:
The odour should not merely be described as an unpleasant smell or broadly attributed to “organic compounds.”
Appropriate air and environmental samples should undergo laboratory analysis to determine the specific substances responsible, their concentrations and their potential health implications.
- Trace the Source Scientifically:
A proper source-tracing exercise should combine air sampling, meteorological data, wind direction, GIS/geospatial mapping, drainage networks and an assessment of possible emission and discharge points.
Potential sources should include industrial facilities, waste-management sites, sewage systems, agricultural and livestock operations, chemical storage areas, illegal waste-disposal points and other activities capable of generating offensive emissions.
We should also not discount the possibility of illegal mining or other illicit activities that may be occurring in or around our forests and communities, provided such possibilities are investigated through evidence rather than speculation.
- Strengthen Environmental Inspections:
Where facilities or activities are found to be capable of generating hazardous emissions or untreated effluent, regulatory inspections should be intensified.
Any person or organisation found to be violating environmental regulations should be required to take corrective action and, where appropriate, face the necessary sanctions and full weight of the law.
- Introduce Public-Health Surveillance:
The health concerns being reported by residents should also be systematically documented.
Hospitals and relevant public-health institutions in affected communities could support the collection of anonymised information on respiratory irritation, headaches, nausea, eye irritation and other symptoms potentially associated with environmental exposure.
This would help establish whether there is an emerging public-health pattern.
- Keep the Public Informed:
Perhaps most importantly, residents need regular and credible information.
Government should periodically communicate what has been established, what remains under investigation, the potential risks and the precautionary measures residents should take.
People should not have to rely solely on rumours and social media to understand an environmental problem occurring around them.
THIS IS BEYOND POLITICS
I believe strongly that environmental pollution should not become another political battlefield.
The people breathing this air are not APC, PDP, Labour or any other political party.
They are Akure people.
Our mothers, fathers, children, students, workers, traders, business owners and elderly citizens and all of us deserve a clean, safe and healthy environment.
This is therefore a time for government, traditional institutions, universities, environmental professionals, regulatory agencies, community leaders, civil society organisations and residents to work together.
There is also a broader environmental concern that deserves attention. Recent reports have highlighted waste-management challenges in parts of Akure, including accumulated refuse, blocked drainage and stagnant wastewater.
While this does not establish that the current night-time odour originates from poor waste management, it reinforces the need for a broader environmental assessment of the city.
AKURE MUST BECOME A MODEL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Rather than simply resolving this particular incident and moving on, I believe we have an opportunity to develop a stronger environmental monitoring and early-warning system for Akure and Ondo State at large.
We should be able to know when our air quality deteriorates.
We should be able to identify unusual emissions quickly.
We should be able to trace environmental violations scientifically.
And we should have a system through which residents can promptly report environmental incidents and receive timely responses.
Akure is our home.
We cannot build a prosperous and beautiful city while compromising the quality of the air, water and environment upon which our people depend.
I therefore call on the Ondo State Government to continue the investigation with urgency and transparency, while encouraging our universities, environmental experts and relevant professional bodies to contribute their knowledge and technical capacity and seek collaboration and synergy with other Federal Government Agencies such as National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and relevant International Organizations where necessary.
I equally call on residents to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information, report suspicious environmental activities through appropriate channels and cooperate with legitimate investigations.
This is not a time for blame. It is a time for knowledge.
Not a time for politics. It is a time for solutions.
Not merely a time to ask who is responsible, but to determine scientifically what is happening, protect our people and ensure that it does not become a recurring threat.
As the Convener of Ògo Àkúré Mandate Group, I remain committed to constructive engagement, environmental responsibility and practical solutions that advance the wellbeing of our people.
Together, let us build a cleaner, healthier and safer Akure for all.
Ayodeji Fortune Oluleye (Ògo Àkúré)
-Environmental Management Professional -Public Health Advocate
-Founder, Global Pest Management Conference
-Convener, Ògo Àkúré Mandate Group
…For the Glory of Àkúré Kingdom
