The need for sustenance of more collaborative research between and among nations has been advocated as a necessity to be sustained in order to identify a permanent cure and curtailing of the ravaging corona virus pandemic.
This advocacy was made by Dr. Festus Afolabi Akinyoyenu while delivering the lead paper presented at the 7th National Conference of School of Environmental Studies titled “Advancing the Built Environment Agenda beyond Covid-19 Crisis” which opening ceremony was held virtually on Tuesday, 15th September, 2020.
Dr. Akinyoyenu opined that for the post COVID-19 Built Environment to support and enhance the way we live,” individuals must accept and cope with the new challenges that the Pandemic has posed and also device new strategies and initiatives for economic survival.”
He further stated that the built environment, which has been described as a large collection of activities consciously planned, executed and attached to land in the human environment, has a huge role to play in building a healthier, more sustainable world and also emphasised that the importance of the built environment in the control of the infection, fatalities and other losses from the COVID-19 Pandemic cannot be over-emphasized, consequently, there is need to harmonise health, energy efficiency and resilience, in order to deliver stronger and healthier communities and better buildings, he opined.
Dr. Akinyoyenu however stressed that one advantage of the COVID-19 Pandemic is that it re-emphasized the importance of the “Home” as a habitation for man’s productive and reproductive actions as well as a fertile ground for the prevention, treatment and cure of the disease.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Rector, Dr. Dayo Oladebeye who was represented by the Deputy Rector in charge of Administration, Bldr. Garba Olorunoje appreciated the Dean, School of Environmental Studies, Bldr. Olukayode Oladipo for being resolutely determined to host the 7th edition of its National Conference despite the mass gathering restriction, which has however changed the way things are done and also helped in harnessing the benefits of technology where most conferences and meetings are now being held online virtually.
The Rector observed that the theme of the conference was so important at this time, where quite a number of environmental challenges have bedeviled the country. He added that the built environment influences a person’s level of physical activity and it is so important because it has the ability to enable social interactions with friends, community, nature, and inspire everyone’s imagination.
Dr. Oladebeye also noted that the built environment in many developing countries, particularly Nigeria, is fast decaying and some factors responsible for this can be attributed to rapid urbanization, rural urban migration, flood, insecurity, homelessness and the COVID-19 Infectious spread in, and around the built environment are very disturbing, however, getting it right should be a priority and the need to also invite academic gurus to cone together, brainstorm and proffer sustainable solution to the challenges at hand by advancing the built environment beyond COVID-19 crisis.
He therefore assured the participants of leaving the conference with a mentality to explore every opportunity in their highly esteemed field of study to ensure sustainable environment of built environment agenda beyond COVID-19 crisis.