The Department of Botany, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), has organised the ‘Plant is Life Contest’ for secondary school students within the Zaria metropolis.
The contest, with the theme: ‘Empowering the Next Generation of Plant Biologists’, took place at the CBN Centre for Economics and Finance, Main Campus, Samaru, Zaria. Explaining the purpose of the contest, Prof. Ramatu Aliyu, Head of the Department of Botany, stated that botany is the basis of life on earth, leading to security, environmental sustainability, and human well-being.
Prof Ramatu said that the programme was to acknowledge the importance of plants in the daily lives of humans. The HOD noted that the maiden edition of the contest was an innovative initiative where multinationals joined the Department as it nurtured a young generation of environmental experts. According to her, the goal was to instil knowledge of plant science and its relevance in society. She said they invited 31 secondary schools and 275 registered participants. Prof. Ramatu thanked the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, and all the guests for honouring their invitation.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, stated that plants lie at the very foundation of human existence, yet they are often overlooked. Represented by the Dean of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Prof. Wilson Hamman, the Vice-Chancellor noted that plants, in their simplicity, are life.
The Vice-Chancellor said that plants play a fundamental role in being the architects of life through the remarkable process of photosynthesis, which helps convert sunlight into glucose, the building block of energy, by using water as a source. Professor Ahmed congratulated the Department and the event organisers for their thoughtfulness in reminding the public about a sensitive matter.
Leave feedback about this