TASFUED Professor raises concern over possible earth tremor in Ijebu-Ode by 2028

She pointed specifically to the Ifewara-Zungeru fault zone, a major tectonic lineament that cuts through western Nigeria. Citing seismic studies and historical records, the former Dean of the College of Science and Information Technology revealed that this fault zone has been linked to previous earthquakes.

Notably, Ijebu Ode has experienced earth movements as far back as 1963, with a more significant event occurring on July 28, 1984. That particular earthquake, which had an epicentre located close to Ijebu Ode, registered an intensity of V-VI on the Mercalli scale and was felt across a wide swath of the South-West, including Abeokuta, Ibadan, and Sagamu.

“These are not myths. The 1984 event was recorded at the LAMTO seismic observatory in the Ivory Coast and by a station at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The earth beneath us has moved before, and the geological structures suggest it retains the capacity to do so again," she stated

Prof. Oyebanjo explained that the intermediate zone between the top sediment and the solid crystalline basement, the focus of her life’s work, is a dynamic environment.

Using geophysical techniques such as geo-electrical resistivity and magnetic surveys, she has mapped the weaknesses in the Earth’s crust.

She emphasised that the Earth sits within the dynamic fracture zones that exert pressure on the inland faults, potentially triggering adjustments in the Earth’s crust. While a catastrophic “big one” may not be imminent, the risk of tremors poses a significant hazard to infrastructure, roads, buildings, and dams currently constructed without seismic considerations.

However, the lecture was not merely a warning of doom. Prof. Oyebanjo noted that the same fractures that cause earthquakes also create opportunities.

The cracks and weathered zones within the “Solid Earth” serve as vital conduits for groundwater aquifers and potential reservoirs for geothermal energy. She called for integrating geophysical investigation into the standard engineering process for construction in Ogun State, advocating for what she termed “earthquake-resistant engineering. To the scriptures, we are from the earth, so shall we return. But while we are here, we must build wisely,” she said.

The lecture was also a deeply personal milestone for the university. Prof. Oyebanjo, who is the first female Dean of the College of Science and Information Technology (COSIT) and the first Professor in the Department of Physics at TASFUED, used the platform to narrate her journey from being the daughter of a block moulder (“Omo Baba Oni block”) to a leading academic. She credited her rise to the late Dr Tai Solarin and Mrs Sheila Solarin, who rescued her academic career by insisting she take a form into the then Ogun State College of Education (OSCE) when funds were scarce.

“My father moulded blocks from sand to build shelters. Today, I study the earth to understand how to build a safer future,” she said.

In her recommendations, the Professor urged the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) to intensify seismic monitoring along the Ijebu Ode axis and called for establishing additional seismological stations in the South-West to ensure that any future earth movements are detected long before they pose a threat to the population.

The 39th Inaugural Lecture, the second from the Department of Physics, ended with a standing ovation for a scholar who has successfully turned the very sediments of her father’s workshop into a solid foundation for scientific inquiry.

The Ag. Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adekunle Adeogun FISN, gave kudos to the Inaugural lecture presenter for the mastery displayed over the years, describing her as one of the best Science lecturers the institution is proud of, while congratulating her for reaching the peak of her career with the delivery of her Inaugural lecture.

 Also in attendance were members of the Management team, the intelligentsia, colleagues, royal fathers, family and friends.