Is Nigeria seasonal change out of hand?
 My Area in Nigeria today. Location |
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A change of course usually comes with effects, otherwise, impact. Based on my seasonal observations in Nigeria I'll like to share with you all the impacts of change in season here in Nigeria.
But, before that, let's get to know better about seasons.....
A season is a period of time in a year distinguished by certain climatic conditions. Since it's just for a period of time, that means a particular season isn't permanent.
In fact, Nigeria has basically four seasons; a tropical monsoon climate in the south, a tropical savannah climate for most of the central regions, and a Sahelian hot and semi-arid climate in the north of the country. All this is characterized by two distinct weather conditions; wet and dry seasons.
The change
A change happens when there's a drift from either the wet season to the dry season and vice versa.
This change as said earlier comes with effects outlined as follows:
Low productivity:
A change in season can bring unproductivity not just agricultural productivity but can also put some daily activities to a halt which is a different kind of unproductivity, or having to suspend important events because of very heavy rain or the high intensity of the sun.
In the agricultural respect, Some crops thrive very well in the southern region where there's more rain, and some other crops thrive very well in the northern arid areas.
When there's a change in season, crops in the southern parts begin to wither in the absence of rain, while those in the arid lands too might not grow as much as expected and that would bring about low crop productivity.
Diseases
A change in season encourages diseases like chicken pox which is so rampant right now in Nigeria and monkeypox. These infectious and contagious diseases dampen the health of people, encouraging their spread into many regions. And this is one of the reason i haven't visited some of my friends. The rate at which chicken pox spread these few days is alarming.
Not just poxes, the presence of stagnant water during rainy days could cause a breeding habitat for anopheles mosquitoes and many of its kind carrying harmful pathogens to the human environment causing illness and in very severe cases death.
Still, during this seasonal change, many happen to experience sunburn due to the high intensity of the sun. They may start experiencing dry and scaly skin coupled with other harsh effects of the weather.
Another adverse health issue is pneumonia
The latest news has it that this year will be far colder than it has ever been in Nigeria. Presently, many are being hospitalized due to feverish conditions, and many others have suffered runny noses as a result of the cold.
In some parts, during this weather change, many villagers find it hard to get a clean source of water, and in other areas it is in shortage.
This has resulted in many other serious illnesses and health conditions like typhoid, cholera, dysentery, and the rest.
Another negative impact is that of displacing people. Due to flood and erosion which is one of the consequences of seasonal change, it has cost some lives and properties, and many have been displaced from their homes and places of work as a result of this.
Causes of change in season
There are several causes of changes in season, but I'll outline a few
- Depleted ozone layer:
It is believed that man's activities like flights of spacecraft and planes have contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer which protects us from the harmful rays of the sun.
- Greenhouse gases:
Harmful waste gases like that from the exhaust of vehicles, and industrial gases have also contributed to season change by trapping heat in the atmosphere and causing the earth to warm up.
Nutral phenomenon:
Not just human activities can cause seasonal changes, natural ones like volcanic eruptions can contribute to a change in season.
How to stay safe even during climatic changes
Make proper sanitation a priority at all times
Do not ignore any uneasy thing you may experience
Government should make laws governing disposing of green house gases to avoid harming the environment
Government should make provisions for catering for those severely affected by this seasonal change, especially those who suffered loss during a flood.
- Technology should be developed that improvise new ways of saving or preserving seasonal food for a long period of time.
Are you in other part of Africa?, Are you in Europe..? Asia..?...just any place in the world.. Perhaps you must have noticed some effects of season change in your environment too, guess what? , you can also share yours in the comment section, I'll really like to know and read about yours, feel free to tag me if you ever make such post.
[ Photos by ubongudofot ]
Posting from Germany:
This summer was very dry in almost every region of Germany, especially the region of Berlin (where I use to live). On the other hand there were also some heavy rains following the dryness - so the ground could not really suckle the water.
In Berlin (and also in the country side in the south-west of Germany* where I stay to make holidays these days: there it usually rains much more then in Berlin) it is forbidden to give water to the lawn and to the plants in the gardens - in order to keep more water for drinking and cooking and washing.
Some creeks here do no longer have water running, the lakes are lower than usual. The big river Rhine - a major route for shipping - is to low on water to be shipped. The river Oder has had a giantic dying of fishes and other water beings - the reason is not yet clear but might have to do with an unusual warming up of the water following more sunshining and less raining.
The water surface of the big lake Bodensee at the southern German border (to Switzerland) has sunk by far more than usual in summer and is sinking still. Many harbours are out of order. This concerns mostly tourism but also drinking water provisioning.
Fires in forests are getting common in some regions.
*This same region has had a very hard flooding just one year ago...
Thank you very much for your report from Germany... 🇩🇪
This is interesting...but i wouldnt really say it's a favourable condition....to experience, trust me.
I can only imagine this situation because i havent experience it either over here in Nigeria.
As for the river oder, i guess its a bad season for those poor water creatures..., sad..!!.
I've heard alot about wildfire some times ago in Carlifonia- USA and other part of the U.S ..., and this is the first time hearing it happens in Germany as well.
But in your case..(Germany).., what could actually cause such inferno in a forest...?
Due to the extreme drying out, the wood, the leaves and needles, the grass burns like tinder. And it doesn't have to be a carelessly discarded cigarette that causes it to blaze. Even a car parked stupidly at the edge of the forest, its brake discs still hot, can be enough. Personally, I think it's more likely to be glass (bottles or broken glass), which can be very effective as a burning glass... By the way, there is also a lot of found munitions lying around in the forests from the Second World War. Recently, this was a huge problem during a large forest fire in Brandenburg.
Durch die extreme Austrocknung brennt das Holz, die Blätter und Nadeln, das Gras wie Zunder. Und es muß gar keine fahrlässig weggeworfene Zigarette sein, die es zum Lodern bringt. Schon ein am Waldrand doof abgestelltes Auto, dessen Bremsscheiben noch heiß sind, kann ausreichen. Ich persönlich tippe eher auf Glas (Flaschen oder Scherben), die als Brennglas sehr effektiv sein dürften... Dazu kommt übrigens eine ganze Menge Fundmunition, die noch aus dem 2. Weltkrieg in den Wäldern herumliegt. Vor kurzem war das bei einem großen Waldbrand in Brandenburg ein Riesenproblem.
Thank you for the enlightenment. And you are saying is the fact..., those things could cause fire outbreak.
But i think the one i can easily point at or think of is the war weapon stored in such places...
Not even stored - they are literally lying around there: forgotten, overgrown, rusty. Incendiary in the sense of the word...
Nicht einmal gelagert - sie liegen dort buchstäblich herum: vergessen, überwuchert, verrostet. Brandgefährlich im Sinne des Wortes...
Oh my goodness...🤦♂️, isnt that rather unhealthy for humanity..?
Hopefully such spots could be identified on time and destroyed.
Wildfire, as i heard isn't a game neither is it a fictional movie..but reality.
Advanced precaution like this can can save future disaster.
Securing life 🧬🌱🛡 in its most organic state.🙏👍