“WE CAME BECAUSE WE FELT THE IMPACT” WHO’S WHO GATHER AS ONABANJO COMMISSIONS 52 BOREHOLES ACROSS IJEBU-ODE
Water, Empowerment, Testimonials and a Powerful Show of Community Appreciation
By Femi Mebude
IJEBU-ODE, Sunday, September 13, 2026: —
It was more than a commissioning ceremony.
It was a gathering of traditional leaders, religious authorities, chiefs and Elders, Community representatives, security personnel, professionals, beneficiaries and the media—many of whom said they came because they had seen, heard about or personally felt the impact of Omooba Abimbola Onabanjo’s philanthropy.
At the centre of the gathering was the commissioning of 52 motorised boreholes across Ijebu-Ode, an intervention by businessman and philanthropist Omooba Abimbola Onabanjo and his wife, Olori Abayomi Onabanjo, accompanied by an empowerment programme involving sewing machines, generators and other support items distributed to beneficiaries through their respective Itun's.
The result was a ceremony that combined water, livelihood, community development and gratitude.
“THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE” — ALAUSA
The Chairman of the Ijebu-Ode Council of Oloritun, Alhaji Adebisi Alausa, gave perhaps one of the strongest assessments of the intervention.
“This has never happened before. I will be 89... I have not witnessed this type of occasion before.”
He added that the intervention had significantly complemented government efforts. “With what Abimbola has done now, he has reduced the job of the government by a huge percentage.”
Alausa also called for the revival of old public water pipelines and reservoir systems, stressing that philanthropy could complement, but should not replace, government responsibility for sustainable water supply. His remarks captured the unusual scale of a private intervention that moved beyond one community to multiple parts of Ijebu-Ode.
“WATER IS ESSENTIAL FOR EVERYONE” — AYANWUSI
Speaking on behalf of the donors, Funmilayo Ayanwusi, Director of Projects for the scheme, explained the motivation behind the intervention.
“Why a water project? Water is essential for everyone. It is a basic necessity not only for human beings, but also for animals and plants.”
She explained that the donor saw the water challenge in the community and decided to respond by helping to alleviate the shortage.
Ayanwusi also stressed that the project was philanthropic rather than politically motivated.
“Omooba Abimbola Onabanjo is not a politician. He never was, he isn’t, and I don’t think he has plans of becoming one anytime soon. He is someone who always wants to give back to his Community.”
The project also created employment opportunities, with more than 100 welders, plumbers, engineers, surveyors and other technical personnel reportedly engaged in its execution.
FROM 12 COMMUNITIES TO 52 BOREHOLES
The project evolved in phases.
An initial 12 boreholes were completed, followed by another batch of 20, bringing the number at that stage to 32, before the intervention reached the announced target of 52. Public reports on the project have documented the phased expansion and its spread across different Ijebu-Ode communities.
Each borehole was equipped with a generating set, with the intervention designed to make water available closer to residents and reduce the hardship associated with inadequate access to potable water.
For communities where residents have traditionally spent considerable time and resources searching for water, the significance goes beyond the physical structure. It means less hardship, saving time, improved hygiene and greater convenience.
A COMMUNITY OF TRADITIONAL LEADERS
The commissioning attracted the Oloritun-in-Council, Alagemo Olojas, traditional chiefs, elders, representatives of different Ituns and other community leaders. Among those present were Alhaji Alausa and members of the Oloritun-in-Council; High Chief Tijani Oladeinde Omotunde Adefisan; the Oloja's representative; Elder Sarumi; Col. Awote; the Iyalode of Ijebuland, and other traditional and community figures. Their collective presence demonstrated that the project had moved beyond being viewed simply as a private donation to becoming a subject of wider community interest.
“HE WHO BRINGS WATER, BRINGS LIFE”
The spokesperson of the Ijebu-Ode Council of Olorituns, Chief Oluwafemi Kareem Adagojo, gave the occasion one of its most memorable expressions:
“HE WHO BRINGS WATER, BRINGS LIFE.”
The statement summed up the sentiment running through the event—the belief among community representatives that access to water goes directly to the heart of human welfare. The Council also pledged continued prayers and appreciation for the donors.
ADEFISAN: THE COMMUNITY SPEAKS
The Oloritun Adefisan, High Chief Tijani Oladeinde Omotunde, brought the discussion to the Itun level.
His contribution reflected the appreciation of the community and the importance of interventions that directly address grassroots needs.
The Adefisan community also presented a portrait gift during the event as a symbolic expression of appreciation. It was another indication that the project was being interpreted not merely as infrastructure, but as a gesture that had generated personal and community goodwill.
THE OLOJA'S REPRESENTATIVE ADDS HIS VOICE
The representative of Oloja High Chief Olaja Imushin similarly joined other traditional and community representatives in expressing appreciation. His participation broadened the traditional dimension of the event, reinforcing the message that the intervention had attracted attention across different layers of Ijebu-Ode.
ACP YUSUF: SECURITY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The presence of Area Commander, ACP Yusuf, added an institutional and security dimension to the gathering. According to the Area Commander, Onabanjo had previously responded to the Police's institutional needs by supporting the construction of the Area Commander's Office at Area Command Station, Igbeba, Ijebu-Ode.
He described his presence at the event as part of the Police's appreciation of that gesture, while encouraging continued commitment to community development.
The broader message was significant: when communities receive basic infrastructure and feel supported, the resulting social stability can complement security efforts.
THE SEWING MACHINE THAT BECAME A SYMBOL OF HOPE
One of the day's most touching moments came with the presentation of a sewing machine to Mrs Adewole, an empowerment beneficiary.
For her, the machine represented more than an item handed over at a ceremony. It represented the possibility of work, income, independence and a better means of supporting herself and her family.
Her response brought the empowerment component of the project down from statistics to a single human story.
A borehole provides water. A sewing machine can provide livelihood. A generator can support a small business. That is the deeper meaning of grassroots empowerment.
PA OKUBADEJO: PHILANTHROPY AS SERVICE
The remarks of Pa Okubadejo added a moral and spiritual dimension to the occasion.
Water, he noted, is fundamental to human existence, while helping others and easing hardship remain important values across religious and traditional cultures. His intervention reinforced the idea that philanthropy is ultimately about service to humanity—using one's resources to respond to the needs of others.
The prayers and appreciation expressed by religious leaders further gave the occasion a spiritual character.
BISHOP OLUDIPE: CHRISTIAN VOICE AT THE GATHERING
Bishop Oludipe of the Anglican Diocese brought the Christian perspective to the event. His presence and remarks emphasised compassion, service and responsibility in community development.
Together with the Muslim leadership represented by the Chief Imam of Ijebuland, the Bishop's participation created a notable interfaith dimension. Christian, Muslim and traditional leaders were effectively united around a common concern: the welfare of the people.
MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE WORKED ON THE PROJECT
Beyond the beneficiaries, the project created an economic chain.
More than 100 artisans and technical personnel were reportedly involved in different aspects of the work, including welding, plumbing, engineering, surveying and related technical activities.
The intervention therefore generated three distinct layers of impact:
Infrastructure for communities.
Work for artisans.
Opportunity for beneficiaries.
“MAN OF THE PEOPLE”
Across the benefiting communities, residents have described Onabanjo as “a man of the people,” a description reflecting the personal connection many said they now associate with his interventions. This explains why the commissioning attracted more than beneficiaries alone.
Many attendees said they came because they had seen or heard about the interventions and wanted to identify personally with the occasion. The project had therefore acquired a human dimension that went beyond the boreholes themselves.
“UNPRECEDENTED” — A COMMUNITY PERCEPTION
Several participants described the scale of the intervention as “unprecedented.”
That remains a description of the participants' perception rather than an independently verified historical ranking. But the sentiment is understandable: one individual and his family had undertaken a multi-community water intervention involving dozens of boreholes, generating sets, technical workers and additional empowerment support.
The appropriate lesson, however, is not that private philanthropy should replace the government. Rather, philanthropy can complement public responsibility.
THE WATER CHALLENGE IS NOT OVER
The 52 boreholes represent a significant intervention, but they do not eliminate the wider water challenge facing Ijebu-Ode.
Communities around Oke Eri/Ilu Bilikisu Sungbon, Ijari, Eka Street off Bonojo, Erinlu/Imodi-Imosan and other Ijebu Ode districts have continued to express interest in similar interventions.
That reality gives the project another significance. It demonstrates what can be achieved—but also highlights what remains to be done.
A CALL FOR GOVERNMENT COMPLEMENT
Stakeholders have consequently called on government to complement private intervention by rehabilitating existing public water infrastructure, including pipelines, reservoirs and related facilities.
As Alausa pointed out, reviving old public water systems would provide a more sustainable response to the town and state's water needs. The long-term solution therefore requires a combination of private philanthropy, public investment, maintenance, institutional planning and community ownership.
THE REAL TEST STARTS NOW
The cameras will eventually leave. The dignitaries will return home. The applause will fade. But the real test of the project begins after commissioning.
Will the 52 boreholes remain functional? Will communities protect them? Will maintenance arrangements be sustained? Will beneficiaries use the empowerment items productively? Will the government strengthen existing public water infrastructure?
These questions will determine the lasting legacy of the intervention. Because the real measure of a borehole is not the day it is commissioned. It is the day—months or years later—when a resident turns the tap and water still comes out.
MORE THAN A CEREMONY
What happened in Ijebu-Ode was therefore more than a project commissioning. It was an encounter between philanthropy and grassroots needs; traditional leadership and community aspirations; water infrastructure and human dignity; empowerment and livelihood.
For the traditional institution, the intervention represents something to be appreciated and protected. For the beneficiaries, it represents opportunity. For the communities, it represents water. For the government, it represents a reminder of the urgent need to strengthen public infrastructure.
And for Omooba Abimbola Onabanjo and Olori Abayomi Onabanjo, it represents a substantial statement of philanthropic commitment to their community.
Ultimately, however, the most powerful statement came not from the podium.
It came from the people.
“WE CAME BECAUSE WE FELT THE IMPACT.”
52 BOREHOLES. MULTIPLE ITUNS. OVER 100 TECHNICAL PERSONNEL. EMPOWERMENT FOR BENEFICIARIES. COUNTLESS EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE.
THE WATER CAME THROUGH 52 BOREHOLES.
THE STORY CAME THROUGH THE PEOPLE.
“HE WHO BRINGS WATER, BRINGS LIFE.”
FEMI MEBUDE
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