PLANT BIODIVERSITY OF NIGERIA AND OUR RELIGIONS AND CULTURES IN A CHANGING WORLD (Published)
The plants constitute a major component of the planet earth, which all living things need to sustain their life. The early man being limited in all forms of endowments of humankind, made very little use of these plants. He therefore maintained a stable equilibrium with them. The modern man (Homo sapiens), with his endowments, has asserted himself over other living and non- living things and is making use of the plants in diverse ways. These diverse ways, are in addition to a number of other benefits other living things including human beings, derive from the plants. This paper dwells on the services to which humankind has put the plants in the diverse religions and culture of people in Nigeria. The paper besides reviewing the diverse roles of plants in diverse religions and cultures, also discusses the changes that are now being experienced in the interactions of humankind with the plants. Nigeria is part of the African region, where biodiversity is claimed to be concentrated. It therefore behoves the people of Nigeria, to conserve the plants, so that their sustainability, can be assured.
Keywords: Cultures, Humankind., Plants, Religions, West Africa, Yoruba People.
PLANT BIODIVERSITY OF NIGERIA AND OUR RELIGIONS AND CULTURES IN A CHANGING WORLD (Review Completed - Accepted)
The plants constitute a major component of the planet earth, which all living things need to sustain their life. The early man being limited in all forms of endowments of humankind, made very little use of these plants. He therefore maintained a stable equilibrium with them. The modern man (Homo sapiens), with his endowments, has asserted himself over other living and non living things and is making use of the plants in diverse ways. These diverse ways, are in addition to a number of other benefits other living things including human beings, derive from the plants. This paper dwells on the services to which humankind has put the plants in the diverse religions and culture of people in Nigeria. The paper besides reviewing the diverse roles of plants in diverse religions and cultures, also discusses the changes that are now being experienced in the interactions of humankind with the plants. Nigeria is part of the African region, where biodiversity is claimed to be concentrated. It therefore behoves the people of Nigeria, to conserve the plants, so that their sustainability, can be assured.
Keywords: Cultures, Humankind., Plants, Religions, West Africa, Yoruba People.
ECONOMIC PROSPECTS OF PLANT BIODIVERSITY OF NIGERIA AND THE CHALLENGE OF MANAGING OUR PLANT SPECIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY (Review Completed - Accepted)
Light is beamed on the diverse food-producing plants for human beings, livestock, farm animals and fishes. Light is also shed on shelter-producing plants and the cotton-producing plant, to complete the primary necessities of life, met by plant biodiversity of West Africa – a sub-region important as part of the region in which much biodiversity is concentrated. Some light is equally shed on some other important economic benefits of these plants, as well as the large number of miscellaneous uses of which plant biodiversity is put in West Africa. The paper is concluded with a remark that emphasizes the fact that humankind has established a mutually benefitting interaction with plant biodiversity of West Africa. This benefit has been felt by humankind from diverse economic advantages derived from the plants, while the plants have also benefitted by being improved in their quality, with many by being domesticated, while many have had an extension in their geographical range across the continents of the world, through the intervention of humankind.
Keywords: Cotton-producing Plant, Economic Perspective, Food-producing plants, Miscellaneous Uses, Plant biodiversity, Shelter-producing Plants, West Africa