To Kill Our Environment, We Shall First Murder The Trees

An image of the fallen trees just outside of Queen Elizabeth II Hall. 

Take a look outside Queen Elizabeth II Hall today, and you shall be appalled by the atrocities that have befallen our environment. It is a sight too grotesque for such innocent eyes to behold. And so, we take to this pedestal to ask a question that ought to trouble every one of us: Why are we killing our environment?

This tragedy began the very day we watched Heritage Park become a thing of the past. A terribly unfortunate occurrence, all because it was decided that a new Senate building must be erected in its place. Yet, like the ever-complacent citizens of Nigeria, we swallowed our protests and watched as another piece of our heritage was taken from us. We said little, perhaps hoping that the loss would be worth the promise of something greater. But at what cost?

The pathway from UI main gate to Queen Elizabeth II Hall

Today, the 26th of October, 2026, the sight is nothing short of heinous. Beautiful trees have been felled, their purpose seemingly forgotten and their destruction left without adequate explanation. And this, at a time when the heat has become almost unbearable, when the harshness of the sun seems determined to remind us of just how desperately we need the shade and shelter of our natural environment. While the world grapples with the consequences of rising temperatures and environmental degradation in the name of the dreaded “El niño”, the University of Ibadan’s management appears to have chosen this very moment to bring down the trees that offer us some of the most basic necessities for survival, cooler surroundings and a more breathable environment.

Yes, the trees. All of them.

The consequences are already apparent. The once-familiar stretch has become a shadow of what it used to be, with the removal of these trees not only stripping the landscape of irts beauty but also raising serious concerns about the safety and convenience of movement. There is scarcely enough passage for vehicles, and a single lane has been forced to serve the purpose of two, all in the name of facilitating movement. In our pursuit of development, have we become so blinded by the promise of infrastructure that we can no longer recognise the value of what we destroy to achieve it?

What exactly are we building if, in the process, we dismantle the very conditions that make life bearable? And what becomes of development when it leaves behind a hotter, less welcoming, and increasingly inhospitable environment. 

Infrastructure? When we think we mend her, we bend her! The great University of Ibadan is pushing for deforestation in a world where planting trees is being restored as a necessity. Of all the schools, the greatest is expected to know better and be well informed. Absolutely! just walk into the atmosphere and consider the latest student centered infrastructure; tailored after the Utopian times. These said infrastructural developments; who are they for? The students? One would think so. However after the example we unfortunately had to see from the Heritage park, there is not much trust. The said policies that are supposed to favour students are being favoured by the students. We come in, spend our finances, give our youth and mind to the said greatness of the school. Only to be fed with more than enough Sunlight on our skins, sights of horror and demands of respect from our elders.

What legacy exactly are we trying to build here? One where students' voices are not regarded? These trees being felled represents way more than just cutting down plants. “Oh don't worry, they will stop talking about it in time. They will get used to it” - someone in the seat of authority. A sheer representation of human needs deprivation. Spaces where students can access to breathe after a long day are rarely available. Now the shades are taken away. The infamous “El Niño” just had to come and interrupt their plans. It is absolutely “not” their fault the climate is changing at such a rapid state. 

Queen Elizabeth II Hall would never have thought that at 70, she would be laid bare. Consider the trees who have been there for years, personalities have come and gone. These trees have stories to tell in conjunction with the great hall of intellectual females. But before the story starts, they have been silenced. 

Lest we forget, the upcoming Convocation of the 2025/26 set in November. It is no news that most students would make use of these spaces to place their tents. The tents that serve as a covering would also be shaded from intense heat. These trees do not just serve as protective shelters, beautifying elements but also as figures of social interactions. There are more than enough facts and statistics to prove why deforestation is bad. Especially on a campus like the University of Ibadan and a space like Queen Elizabeth II Hall. 

All we ask for as students is a system that considers our desires and well being. Sadly, what is done is done. However, we ask as fellow stakeholders in the University of Ibadan that ease is granted. A system that believes in the safety of and trust from its people. Stop killing our ecosystem!

Beyond the environmental damage, the felling of these trees raises serious concerns about the safety, privacy, and comfort of female students residing in Queen Elizabeth II Hall. The trees once served as a form of natural covering for the open sections of the hostel, particularly where there are no proper pavements or other structures to shield these areas from outside view. With the trees gone, these sections have become more exposed, allowing people outside the hostel environment to have a clearer view of the surroundings, endangering the privacy of the occupants in the very block facing the public, C block. If you must wear abaya to visit the bathroom, consider it or else, the public would be entertained. 

In an environment where students already struggle with excessive heat, the loss of these trees could make daily activities even more difficult. ‎One cannot help but wonder whether the management gave much thought to these consequences before proceeding to fell the trees. If you dare, take a deep breath right this instant, if your lungs are not fried, then you deserve quite a treat. 

Is it not even worse that students are actively writing exams? A 2025 global meta-analysis published on ResearchGate indicates that 76% of existing research establishes the fact that high temperatures significantly undermine student performance and academic testing results. Cutting down trees is directly consequential to unavoidable heat in the environment. It is basic science, not biology but the science we did in school that explained just how the trees take in carbon dioxide to give us oxygen. In fact, not only are we without trees that provide shade but without oxygen to give us life accompanied with heat ready to fry the world. If there is excessive heat, it is unsafe for students who are writing exams and would have no choice but to be cramped in halls with tens and hundreds of other students. It is certainly not fair or just to do something like that without explanations. 

We might have less to say if there is evidence that each cut down tree is being replaced by five as is done in Lagos state under the provision of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law (2017). Remarkably, in Oyo state we also have the Oyo State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources which enforces a replacement policy when trees are felled, although there is no specification of the numbers to be planted. Regardless, even the law recognizes the importance of greenery. The importance can never be overemphasized. 

Giving another benefit of the doubt, maybe they are indeed replacing the trees. But how many weeks, months and most especially years before we see its impact in the environment? In a crucial period such as this, what might be so urgent that ALL the trees must be cut at the same point in time? The students are the most affected by whatever decision is being made and the least that could be rendered is an explanation. It is owed to us, at the very least, as living and breathing beings that form an important part of this ecosystem. We should not be sidelined just because they can. We study here, live here, write exams here and in fact, walk on the grounds of this great institution. We deserve closure for what is being done to our home for 4 years or more. 

Shall we also not talk about the noise pollution? If we ignore every other thing, it does not erase the fact that trees are being logged for several hours in front of halls of residence. Another reminder that students are writing exams and the last thing needed by anyone studying is repeated sounds of machines that continue for several minutes and hours. A better time could have been chosen if the hostel residents were put into any consideration whatsoever. Again, we deserve closure! 

Dearest gentle reader, our thoughts and prayers shall always be in you in these trying times, you shall survive this. However, breathe carefully, there is only enough oxygen to go round.  As for our parting words, spare the trees and give us life. That is our only premise.