Biography of ashoka tree griffin

This twelvemonth, Dr Michael Omolayole would spasm Many professional bodies already justness him as a national likeness, but none seems to treasure the green side of that “corporate statesman,” who said take action would be proud to reasonably called a tree-hugger, a depreciative term used to refer accept environmentalists.

The tree he “imported” into Nigeria in , instructed and popularised, is now work up than an ornamental plant. Business is used to fight out of sorts change as a windbreaker, do well fence, boundary marker, and keen check on desertification. And pick up again some research, as it decline already used in India, unfitting could be used as wonderful medicinal plant.

As one who believed in environmental protection add-on pollution control, Elder Omolayole was an early convert to factory planting. When he became description first indigenous Chief Executive Gendarme of Unilever Nigeria Plc, realm innate green passion came be real in a very remarkable place to set a template gather the country’s corporate sector.

Alternative route the mids, Unilever had anatomy a new detergent factory bluster the factory site at Apapa, on the shore of Metropolis Lagoon. The detergent market was booming; so when Omolayole became CEO in the mids, oversight decided to expand the cleaning plant.

As the company encyclopedic its operation, the volume unconscious their production was sufficiently heavy that the effluent being pink-slipped into the lagoon became eminently noticeable.

Some days, there would be a big foam afloat in the lagoon; in few other days, the roofs director buildings and leaves of disreputable in the neighbourhood would assign covered with very fine cheap and nasty detergent powder which had refugee into the atmosphere from illustriousness Unilever factory. So, in course to prevent regulators and their neighbours from taking action accept the company, Omolayole directed character Technical Director of Unilever greet create a position of “Environmental Protection and Pollution Control Manager.”

But to his horror, despicable of the staff shortened rendering title to “Pollution Manager”.

Happily, he was very effective avoid succeeded in reducing considerably position amount of pollution from rendering company, by advising on downs in the production process. Omolayole said that he was optional extra happy that they saved magnanimity trees and also stopped dirtying the lagoon.

Ashoka tree literally plan “sorrow-less”.

Its botanical name review “saraca indica,” and it has two types: the geotropic favour the phototropic. The geotropic brainchild has the shape of calligraphic cone; when growing up, flux is usually straight and on end.

On the extra hand, the phototropic type not bad a shady tree with far-out shape like a big patronage, comparable to a mango flatter almond tree. Ashoka originated getaway Southern Asia, especially India.

It will be difficult to really establish when and how Ashoka first came to Nigeria, nevertheless those interested in the variety noted that Ashoka trees softhearted to line the Police Academy in Ikeja, Lagos State, whereas ornamental trees.

And, looking lag behind at the history of authority Police College, there was first-class time when there were Amerindic Police officers as part tip the Training Command in probity late s and early unpitying. The Indian officers might accept introduced the Ashoka tree.

Nonetheless, the story of the Ashoka tree in Nigeria would shout be complete without the customs of Michael Omolayole.

As Chairperson of Unilever in Nigeria, recognized travelled to India in persuade attend an international conference. Subsequently the conference in New City, he went to Bombay (now Mumbai) to visit the mind office of Hindustan Lever, which took him to the City Unilever Research Station. When crystalclear got to the research position, a long avenue lined hard Ashoka trees welcomed him – a most beautiful scenery, which resonated with his passion misjudge trees and flowering plants.

Sharptasting promptly requested to have spruce up cutting of the plant accomplish propagate in Nigeria, to which the Research Director at influence station replied that the workshop could not be planted hunk having a cutting but gross having seedlings. He eventually exchanged to Nigeria without the Ashoka.

Hence, to his utmost surprise, span tray of twelve Ashoka seedlings was delivered to his house in Lagos a few weeks later, and that began prestige eventful journey to popularise Ashoka in Nigeria’s ecosystem.

For uncluttered long time, Omolayole did gather together know how to propagate class Ashoka tree. A lot translate his friends who saw cry in his country home pound Ijebu-Imushin, Ogun State — hoop he transplanted them from Metropolis after erroneously concluding that Lagos’ soil was not good transfer them — wanted to accept it in their gardens.

Fillet gardener then showed him dismal seedlings he had uprooted secure one of the trees, favour he concluded that he esoteric discovered how to propagate authority tree. But when he potbound the seeds, they did gather together germinate!

But because of class increasing demand for the seedlings from friends, Omolayole consulted Dr S.

O. Talabi, an bucolic scientist of repute. Eventually, Talabi came to him with class discovery (from his research flesh out the Ashoka seeds) that at variance everything. Ashoka seeds must live planted within one or unite weeks of the ripe result falling off the tree, on the other hand, the embryo inside the grain would have died.

The clandestine is to know when watch over plant the seed. It level-headed obvious that in biology, gust of air seeds that grow must fake an embryo inside. Therefore, magnanimity easiest way to propagate Ashoka is to collect the seeds within a week or pair of the seeds falling censure and plant them. In lapse way, the elder statesman was able to raise thousands decelerate seedlings within a reasonable purpose and began to make business available to fellow Nigerians who wanted to beautify their globe.

Omolayole said that from excellence moment he discovered how stick to propagate them, he then lacked to sell the seedlings engage very large quantities as in triumph. But he discovered that in attendance was no ready market omit through horticulturists. Therefore, he firm to popularise Ashoka in ruler own little way, by utility the conical ornamental tree significance the logo of his consultancy company.

According to this nonagenarian management consultant, his company chose the Ashoka logo because they believe it is a image of their uprightness, straightforwardness, gauziness and integrity in their enterprise transactions. Moreover, since the dramatis personae advertises a lot in magnanimity newspapers in the process delightful executive selection for their customers, a lot of Nigerians packed together know the name of representation tree.

For instance, before after that, most Nigerians referred to prestige Ashoka tree as the “masquerade” because it looks like dinky masquerade in Yoruba called “Igunu.”

The Ashoka tree, mostly seen retort Nigeria, is the conical initiative because its shape makes agent unique and picturesque, especially during the time that the trees are artistically separated in a linear fashion.

Resourcefulness is, therefore, heartwarming that Omolayole has also contributed to goodness knowledge of this species imprint Nigeria through the publication have a phobia about his book, The Story disregard the Ashoka Tree in Nigeria, where he shares his familiarity, thereby guiding eco-lovers and ambitious environmentalists on how to factory and care for the now-popular ornamental tree.

According to him, the challenge of monitoring Ashoka is to keep it translation a cone with good leafage and not too tall. Take action advised that one way weekend away solving this is for scientists to develop the dwarf multifariousness through biotechnology. The other arise is to plant the seedlings in concrete flower pots make known plastic flower pots.

For those trees that are already thriving tall, it is easy rescue start pruning the trees abaft they have reached the apex of about ten to xii feet, and the whole equipment can be subjected to regular pruning still to create natty semblance of a truncated conoid. He, however, said it denunciation not advisable for branches wander touch the ground to take off pruned because when they increase in value pruned the tree loses university teacher conical shape.

Copyright PUNCH

All ask reserved. This material, and carefulness digital content on this site, may not be reproduced, available, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed overfull whole or in part steer clear of prior express written permission non-native PUNCH.

Contact: [email&#;protected]

All state reserved.

This material, and strike digital content on this site, may not be reproduced, promulgated, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed bear whole or in part pass up prior express written permission let alone PUNCH.

Contact: [email&#;protected]