Members in Action: Excellence Akeredolu, Director-at-Large

Dr. Excellence Akeredolu is a newly elected Director-at-Large to the SER Board of Directors, and currently serves as the West Africa Regional Director for the SER Africa Board. Excellence is a Wetland and freshwater Ecologist, and a lecturer in the Department of the Zoology University of Lagos, where he serves as the Faculty Advisor to the SER Student Chapter University of Lagos (SER’s first Student Association formed in Africa).

How long have you been a member of SER?

I have been a member of SER for close to 2 years.

 What’s your best experience with SER so far?

Membership with SER has been so exciting and eventful, because there is always something new to learn. Being a leader within SER, including pioneering the first SER student chapter in Africa, is one of my greatest moments with SER. It has been a great time for self-discovery, and an awesome privilege to express my creativity and mentor the next generation of leaders in ecological restoration. 

Why did you join SER?

I first learned about SER while attending the Annual Meeting of the Society for Wetland Scientists in 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland (USA), and finally became a member prior to the 9 th World Conference on Ecological Restoration in 2020. I Joined SER because I believed that the society would give me opportunities to learn, network, and apply in my research work the basic principles and practices of ecological restoration which were new at that time in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa. 

What do you hope to accomplish during your term of office?

I hope to be a channel through which many young professionals, including students, will find their place and maximize their membership benefits in SER. I will also strive to be instrumental in executing many decisions that will help SER fulfill its global mandates and vision for ecological restoration, and also be available to give my time and turn ideas into actions that will help strengthen SER chapters at the regional and global level.

What is your current occupation?

I am currently a lecturer and researcher in the Department of Zoology at the University of Lagos with more than one decade of experience in teaching and research at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. My areas of research include wetland ecology, aquatic physiology, and ecotoxicology. I am also involved in Environmental Education programs as part of my community development and social responsibility. Some of my educational projects, including Ecological Restoration for kids, are targeted at reaching- out and educating kids in line with the UN Decade on Ecological Restoration Agenda. In this ‘’capture their interest while young” initiative, children are taught how to appreciate nature and to become good ambassadors of their environment using the basic principles of ecological restoration.

Excellence teaching a session during an Ecological Restoration Program for Kids in one of the primary schools in Lagos,Nigeria

What do you find most rewarding about working for your organization? 

Working in a university system with a conducive environment for teaching and research is what I find rewarding. The University of Lagos where I work offers a good opportunity to interact and connect effectively with my students and network with other restoration professionals locally and around the world. By virtue of its location in Lagos State, the former capital and the industrial nerve centre of Nigeria, the University of Lagos provides a good platform for students to organize a variety of activities, including outreach and workshops, and to develop partnerships with experts and stakeholders in restoration science outside of academia (including industrial, Governmental, and Non-Governmental Organizations).

Excellence and SER UNILAG student chapter members in an outreach organized to promote nature awareness during the 52 nd convocation ceremony of the University of Lagos

What projects are you working on right now?

I have been involved in assessing toxic substances in the wetlands, monitoring their fate and effect on biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem. One of my recent studies is testing the effect of heavy metals on the genetic diversity in some fish and amphibians in oil polluted wetlands in Lagos Nigeria. 

Excellence examining tissues of some fish samples collected from oil-polluted wetlands.

How does your work support the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration?

As part of my commitment to the goals of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration - which arr to prevent, halt, and reverse degraded ecosystems world-wide - my work contributes to the restoration of wetlands and the protection of wildlife by providing information on the extent to which wetland components, such as soil and water, have been altered by toxicants of natural or human origin. This provides baseline data that helps policymakers safeguard the ecological function and services of wetlands for the benefit of mankind and nature.

What does ecological restoration mean to you?

Ecological restoration is an intentional activity that initiates or accelerates the recovery of an ecosystem in terms of its health, integrity, and sustainability. Ecosystems requiring restoration are those previously degraded, damaged, transformed, or entirely destroyed directly or indirectly, as a result of human activities. Ecological restoration is fundamental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal.

Why would you encourage others, particularly young people, to get involved in this field?

Land and ecosystems lay the foundation for the economy and well-being of society. Eighty-five percent of the world’s youth population live in regions directly dependent on the land and natural resources for sustenance. Loss of natural resources due to land degradation threatens both current and future generations. In order to reverse and minimize land and ecosystem degradation, youth must make their voices count in policy dialogues, and raise awareness and promote ecological restoration. Young people have the strength, energy, and immense potential to contribute to forest conservation and restoration. In the University of Lagos Nigeria, young SER student members have played crucial roles in fulfilling the UN Decade on Ecological Restoration goal to restore degraded and deforested landscape through advocacy for nature and environmental journalism. Youth are the hope and voice of the future for global ecological restoration.

Left: SER UNILAG Student Chapter members advocating against climate change, deforestation, and wetland degradation during Make a Difference Week.

Right: A SER UNILAG Student Chapter member discussing the importance of Ecological Restoration during World Environment Day as part of Make a Difference Week via the University of Lagos Radio station. UNILAG FM 103.1 is one of the most sought-after university operated radio stations in Nigeria with its coverage reaching up to three states of Nigeria Federation.

What’s one thing - either industry-related or not - you learned in the last month?

I have learned that for ecological restoration processes to be effective at the grassroot level, local press and journalists must be involved as advocates for nature. The media plays a crucial role in educating the public and in creating regional awareness of ecological restoration.

What’s something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know?

I like nature. I spend my leisure time exploring the beauty of nature. I like bird watching, especially the water birds. Through birdwatching, I have learned patience which is one of the greatest secrets of success in life. I learned early in my career that to be a good bird watcher one must be patient, focus on the target, and be ready to follow the details of the guidelines.