- The poet behind Forest Echoes decries the destruction of green heritage for a bank.
Segun Atanda/
Renowned poet and environmental advocate, Niyi Osundare, has delivered a searing critique of the University of Ibadan (UI) management over the large-scale felling of trees to make way for a proposed U.I. Heritage Bank.
Speaking on Thursday, during an event celebrating the 10th anniversary of his National Order of Merit Award, as part of NOIPOFEST—the annual poetry festival named in his honor—Osundare condemned the act as a profound betrayal of the university’s legacy.
“These trees are not just wood and leaves; they are our history, our breath, our silent witnesses to decades of knowledge and growth,” Osundare said to a captivated audience of scholars, poets, and students.
Reflecting on the loss, he revealed an emotional connection to the campus greenery, sharing how the U.I. Botanical Gardens inspired Forest Echoes in his acclaimed collection, The Eye of the Earth.
“Those trees gave us life, shelter, and imagination,” he said. “Now, their echoes are being silenced by bulldozers and chainsaws.”
The University of Ibadan, widely known as a green sanctuary, is losing its once-celebrated lush landscape to development projects, sparking criticism about the institution’s environmental priorities.
Osundare lamented the shortsightedness of replacing the trees with a bank, urging the management to rethink its decisions. “A university without its trees,” he warned, “is a soul without its breath.”
The poet’s comments resonated deeply with the audience at NOIPOFEST, a celebration of poetry and cultural preservation. His message reinforced the festival’s themes of sustainability and renewal, emphasising the importance of safeguarding nature as an integral part of the university’s identity.
Osundare’s remarks have since gone viral, igniting widespread debate among alumni, students, and environmentalists. Many echoed his sentiments, criticising the lack of foresight in sacrificing the campus’s natural heritage for infrastructure.
As the festival celebrated Osundare as “The People’s Poet,” his plea for the trees became a rallying cry for action.
Whether UI management will heed his words remains to be seen, but his call for accountability has left a lasting impression.
“They’re murdering the trees,” Osundare concluded. “But must they also murder the conscience that breathes in us all?”
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