By Johnson Dairo Daniel
BoldNEWS Africa 08032229630
Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State
Residents of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, have taken a major step towards addressing the challenge of access to potable water following the sinking and installation of 52 fully equipped boreholes, supported by high-capacity generators, across various Ituns in the city.
The initiative was facilitated by Omo-Oba Abimbola John Onabanjo, Prince of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu-Ode, and his wife, Olori Abayomi Abimbola.
The water intervention was described as a community-driven initiative aimed at providing residents with easier access to potable water and reducing the burden of water scarcity across communities in Ijebu-Ode.
The boreholes were commissioned on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at Shoye Street, Ijebu-Ode, as part of a broader community development initiative championed by Omo-Oba Abimbola Onabanjo and his wife.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, where he was represented by Mrs. Funmilayo Ayanwusi, Omo-Oba Abimbola said the initiative was inspired by his commitment to giving back to society and contributing to the wellbeing of his people.
According to him, the intervention goes beyond the provision of potable water, as other community-focused projects, including road construction, have also been undertaken to improve mobility and ease some of the daily challenges faced by residents.
He explained that the projects were conceived as practical contributions towards improving living conditions and promoting sustainable community development.
BoldNEWS Africa was at the commissioning ceremony.
In his remarks, the Grand Chief Imam of Ijebu Land, Sheikh Miftaudeen Gbadegesin, commended the initiative, stressing that its significance extended beyond the immediate beneficiaries.
He noted that Ijebu-Ode is a cosmopolitan community comprising people from diverse ethnic and social backgrounds, making development initiatives that benefit residents collectively particularly important.
The cleric described the provision of water infrastructure as a meaningful intervention, particularly for communities where residents have continued to face difficulties accessing reliable sources of potable water.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ijebu, Bishop Dr. Peter Rotimi Oludipe, described the commissioning as a welcome development capable of bringing relief to residents.
The bishop emphasised the importance of water to human existence, saying that anyone who provides water is, in effect, contributing to the preservation and improvement of life.
He acknowledged the initiative facilitated by Omo-Oba Abimbola Onabanjo and his wife as a demonstration of genuine humanity and a deeper expression of love and concern for the people.
The Chairman, Ijebu-Ode Oloritun Council, Alhaji Adebisi Adeola Alahusa, who is also a direct beneficiary of the water infrastructure, applauded the gesture and urged other individuals and organisations to emulate the initiative.
The Chairman of the Oloritun Council said the intervention would contribute significantly to easing the hardship associated with access to potable water in many households across the communities.
He further assured the facilitators that the facilities would be properly maintained and put to effective use under the supervision of the Olorituns in the various Ituns under his leadership.
The commissioning ceremony also featured an empowerment programme initiated by Omo-Oba Abimbola Onabanjo and his wife, through which more than 20 individuals received sewing machines and generators as vocational tools to support their livelihoods.
According to the organisers, the empowerment component was designed to complement the water project by promoting economic independence and improving the capacity of beneficiaries to earn sustainable livelihoods.
The occasion attracted traditional rulers, religious leaders, community stakeholders, political figures, senior security officers and residents from across Ijebu-Ode.
Among those present were the Grand Chief Imam of Ijebu Land, Sheikh Miftaudeen Gbadegesin; the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ijebu, Bishop Dr. Peter Rotimi Oludipe; the Chairman, Ijebu-Ode Oloritun Council, Alhaji Adebisi Adeola Alahusa; heads of Oloritun across Ijebu-Ode; members of the Alegemo priesthood; the Ijebu-Ode Iyaloja-General, Madam Osibogun Adebisi; Col. Olatunde Awote; the Area Commander, Ijebu-Ode Police Area Command, ACP Wasiu Yusuf; Chief Olu Akubadejo of the Ogun State Governance Advisory Council; and several other dignitaries and community leaders.
The commissioning marked another individual intervention in the ongoing efforts to improve basic infrastructure and enhance the quality of life of residents across Ijebu-Ode, in what stakeholders described as a significant stride towards addressing basic community needs.
— BoldNEWS AfricaI
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