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‘People would see something to eat’ – Seun Kuti blasts Sanwo-Olu for not planting trees
Nigerian singer Seun Kuti has publicly criticized the Lagos state government for not planting fruit trees around the city, emphasizing that doing so would provide much-needed access to fresh fruit for the city’s hungry population.
In a recent Instagram livestream, Kuti lamented the decline in fruit trees compared to when he was a child, attributing the reduction to government actions detrimental to the poor.
“There are hungry people all over, so why won’t the government plant trees all over Lagos?” Kuti questioned. “When we were little, we would pluck fruits from the trees when we were hungry after being out the whole day.”
Kuti’s remarks come in the context of a broader history of governmental decisions regarding urban greenery. In 2020, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu faced criticism from over 1,300 Ikoyi residents for attempting to cut down trees to make way for a drainage system.
Kuti underscored the minimal cost and effort required to plant fruit trees, suggesting that it would be a simple yet impactful measure to help feed the city’s hungry. “What would it cost the government to grow mango trees, orange trees, and African apple trees? All they need to do is put the seeds in the ground. We’re in Africa; they will grow.”
In 2022, the Lagos government announced plans to plant trees in the state, but Kuti’s comments suggest that more immediate and practical steps could be taken to address food insecurity through urban forestry. He concluded by contrasting Lagos with nearby Cotonou, where coconut trees are abundant, questioning why Lagos lacks similar initiatives.
“What will it cost the government of Nigeria to grow trees?” pic.twitter.com/sEfAp2zAbk
— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) June 4, 2024