Alternative Animal Feed Key to Food Security, Healthier Poultry Products — FUNAAB's DVC, Academic

 

 … As the University Holds 114th Inaugural Lecture

 By Olasunkanmi Olajide & Joy Adeyiga

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof. Olusegun Mark Obafemi Idowu, has called for increased investment in alternative animal feed resources as a sustainable solution to Nigeria's food security challenges, rising livestock production costs, and the demand for healthier animal products.

Speaking while delivering the 114th Inaugural Lecture of the University today, July 8, 2026, Prof. Idowu said his decades of research had demonstrated that locally available, non-conventional feed resources could significantly reduce the cost of livestock production while improving animal performance and the nutritional quality of poultry products.

Titled, "Feed to Food: Biological Machines in the Hands of a Monogastric Nutritionist," the Professor of Monogastric Animal Nutrition explained that his research had successfully established the nutritional and economic value of alternative feed ingredients such as Cassava Root Sievate, Shrimp Waste nd Unpeeled Cassava Root Meal.

According to him, the feed materials not only improve feed conversion efficiency but also reduce dependence on conventional feed ingredients that compete directly with human food consumption. Prof. Idowu disclosed that one of the landmark outcomes of his research was the ability to reduce cholesterol levels in poultry products through dietary manipulation.

He explained that incorporating alternative feed resources into poultry diets significantly lowered cholesterol concentrations in eggs, blood plasma and liver tissues, while dietary copper supplementation enhanced cholesterol excretion. He added that the combined use of copper and ascorbic acid effectively reduced cholesterol without causing excessive copper residue in chicken muscles.

Prof. Idowu, a member of the Governing Council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), described animal nutrition as a critical link between feed production and food security, stressing that sustainable feeding strategies enhance livestock productivity, improve animal welfare, promote environmental sustainability and deliver healthier food to consumers.

The Animal Nutrition expert urged governments, researchers, and private-sector stakeholders to invest in the production and processing of alternative feed resources, intensify research into non-conventional feed ingredients and agro-industrial by-products, strengthen collaboration among researchers, farmers, feed manufacturers, and policymakers, and prioritise continuous professional development for animal nutritionists.

According to him, adopting innovative feeding strategies would improve the efficiency and competitiveness of Nigeria's livestock industry while making nutritious animal protein more accessible to the growing population.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, described the University's 114th Inaugural Lecture as another milestone in its commitment to advancing scholarship, innovation and research-driven solutions to national development challenges. He noted that the lecture was the fourth Inaugural Lecture from the Department of Animal Nutrition and the 14th from COLANIM.

Presenting the profile of the Inaugural Lecturer, Prof. Kehinde described him as a distinguished scholar who obtained all his Academic Degrees from FUNAAB, earning a Bachelor of Agriculture Degree in Animal Nutrition in 1994, a Master's Degree in Monogastric Animal Nutrition in 1999 and a Ph.D. in the same discipline in 2004.

The Vice-Chancellor said Prof. Idowu joined the University's service as a Graduate Assistant in 1997 and rose through the ranks to become a Professor of Monogastric Animal Nutrition in 2014.

He highlighted the scholar's extensive administrative experience, having served as Acting Head of the Department of Animal Nutrition, Chairman of the University Timetable and Examination Committee (TIMTEC), Director of the FUNAAB Distance Learning Centre, Director of the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR), and currently as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

Prof. Kehinde also noted that Prof. Idowu has published more than 70 journal articles and over 20 conference papers, while attracting several national and international research grants from organisations including TETFund, DelPHE, the EDULINK ACP-EU Cooperation Programme and the West African Network of Organic Agriculture and Research and Training (WANOART).

#SDG2, #SDG4, #SDG9

3rd Mainland Bridge: Govt. Clarifies Partial Closure

….To Commence Remediation Works on Alternative Routes

AgegePulse Magazine

In consideration of the strategic importance of the 3rd Mainland Bridge to commuters in Lagos, Government today clarified its position on the partial closure of the bridge to the public.

Speaking during a joint media briefing by the Federal and Lagos State Government the Federal Controller of Works, Olukayode Popoola, said that the proposed partial closure of alternate sections of the Third Mainland Bridge for repairs and maintenance works would commence by July 24, and will last for six months .

While urging commuters to cooperate with Government on the proposed maintenance works, the Federal Controller said the proposed closure is not total closure as reported in some segment of the media, but it is only “a partial closure to allow for the routine repairs and maintenance works which became necessary in order to avert structural damage to sections of the bridge”.

He said for the first phase of Third Mainland Bridge maintenance works traffic would be diverted to only the Lagos Island Bound section of the road to take motorists from Oworoshoki inward Lagos from 12 midnight to 1pm in the morning while in the afternoon, from 1pm to 12 midnight daily, the section of the road will be opened to traffic from Lagos Island inward Oworoshoki.

This arrangement will be alternated for the second phase of the project on the Oworoshoki bound lane after the first phase must have been concluded.

He advised motorists to use alternative routes such as from Carter to Bridge through Iddo, through Oyingbo to join Adekunle ramp inward Oworoshoki and another from Ijora-Olopa through Western Avenue to Ikorodu Road
Popoola, who said the last routine maintenance of the bridge was carried out over eight years ago however expressed regret over the attendant hardship and discomfort the maintenance works and partial closure would cause Lagosians.

Also speaking during the Press Briefing, Commissioner for Transportation, Fredric Oladeinde said a traffic advisory for alternative routes has been carefully planned to ease travelling for commuters plying the route.

He assured that officials from Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) as well as other relevant government agencies would be on ground to enforce the traffic plan and ensure easy movement during the closure.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye, said as a follow up to the notice of routine maintenance works on the Third Mainland Bridge the State Government had commenced remediation works on identified alternative routes to make it motor able for the public.

While urging transporters to ensure that only road worthy vehicles are put on the road she enjoined residents to desist from putting vehicles that are likely to break down on the roads as doing so would escalate traffic congestion. She said in order to ensure that the remediation works provided on the alternate roads is effective, the State Government is set to enforce extant rules and impound vehicles that are not road worthy.

According to the Special Adviser, “We need to change our habits and refrain from dumping refuse in the drains, indiscriminate parking of vehicles on roads and bridges and driving vehicles that are not road worthy on our roads we can reduce traffic congestion in the metropolis. “Drains provided for roads are not meant for solid waste disposal, rather they are pathways for water to run and when the drainages are choked or the cross culverts are blocked, the asphalt surface will become water logged thereby accelerating the rate of dilapidation of the roads”, this would further affect the free flow of traffic, she said

Lagos announces shutdown of two strategic roads for railway project

AgegePulse Magazine

In line with the Nigerian Railway Modernization Project (Lagos-Ibadan section) with extension to Lagos Port at Apapa, the Lagos State Government has unveiled plans to shutdown PWD Level Crossing around Ikeja GRA axis on the 10th of January, 2020 and Brewery Level Crossing along Iganmu axis on the 11th of January, 2020.


The closure of the roads will be from 8:00pm to 6:00am.

A statement from the State’s Ministry of Transportation on Wednesday said alternative routes had been provided for road users to utilize during the course of construction to ensure motorists reach their various destinations with ease.

“The closure has also been slated at this time, to ensure smooth and uninterrupted flow of work on the rail tracks.

“Motorists plying Ikeja axis are advised to access their destinations via Ilupeju Level Crossing and Ikeja along Level Crossing while commuters driving along Iganmu axis inward Surulere should make use of Costain express way and Orile Express corridor, Bode Thomas Street and Eric Moore Road,” he said.

The government appealed to residents of the state, especially motorists that plied these corridors to bear the pains, as the project was aimed at achieving a seamless multi-modal transport system in the state.

“The Lagos State Government hereby appeals to road users to bear with the government as it takes steps to further create transport infrastructure that will ultimately improve the travel experience of commuters in the state,” the statement said

Lagos Panorama