Coconut remains Lagos’ natural coastal crop, says ex-LASCODA boss

Mr Dapo Olakulehin, the immediate past Managing Director of the Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA), says coconut remains the major crop naturally suited to Lagos State’s coastline and island communities.

Olakulehin said this in an interview with newsmen on Friday in Lagos.

According to him, the state’s extensive coastline and numerous islands make coconut cultivation both economically and environmentally significant.

“We are talking about about 180 kilometres of coastline and the only crop that can survive there by nature and by law is coconut,” he said.

Olakulehin noted that coastal communities in Badagry, Ojo, Apapa, Lekki and Takwa Bay had historically depended on coconut cultivation as a source of livelihood.

“When you go to these islands, the dominant vegetation is coconut.

“The implication is that there are large numbers of coconut trees in Lagos State, making it an important economic resource,” he said.

He recalled that coconut cultivation was recognised as a strategic agricultural enterprise in the old Western Region before the creation of Lagos State.

According to him, the defunct Western Region established a thriving coconut industry in Badagry during the administration of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Olakulehin, however, said the discovery of crude oil shifted national attention away from agriculture, including coconut production.

He added that increasing urbanisation and other human activities had also contributed to the destruction of many coconut plantations across the state.

“The livelihood of many coastal communities depends on coconut and they form part of the rural population of the state.

“That is why Lagos State places much importance on the coconut economy,” he said.

The former LASCODA boss described coconut as one of the fastest-growing agricultural commodities globally, driven by increasing awareness of its nutritional, health and industrial benefits.

He noted that several economies around the world relied significantly on coconut production and processing.

Olakulehin said the Lagos State Government was repositioning the sector to enhance agriculture’s contribution to the state’s economy and Gross Domestic Product.