For many residents of Ijebu Ode, Odoyanta and Imosan in Ogun State, access to clean drinking water had long been a daily struggle.

Families trekked long distances in search of water, while many depended on unsafe sources that exposed them to waterborne diseases.

That hardship, however, gave way to celebration over the weekend as communities gathered in large numbers to witness the inauguration of newly donated motorised boreholes by philanthropist Omooba Abimbola Onabanjo and his wife, Olori Abayomi Onabanjo.

The project, which is expected to provide clean and safe water to thousands of residents, is part of the couple’s humanitarian intervention aimed at improving living conditions across rural communities in Ijebuland.

Representing the donors at the inauguration, Funmilayo Ayanwusi described the initiative as part of a broader vision to enhance the welfare of the people and support the development of Ijebuland into a modern and thriving community.

She disclosed that 12 boreholes have been completed under the first phase of the project, while work is ongoing on another 40, bringing the total number of planned boreholes to 52.

The completed facilities are located in Mokorede, Aiyegun, Ijasi Oke, Olukokun Isale, Olumuroko, Fusengbuwa, Ita Afin, Fusigboye, Odo Esa, Igbogun/Ilede, Imosan and Odoyanta.

According to Ayanwusi, the boreholes are fully equipped with power generators, while the donors have also undertaken to fund their maintenance and fuel for an initial period to ensure uninterrupted water supply.

She said giving back to society remains the core mission of the donors, adding that more community development projects are already being planned.

The gesture drew widespread praise from traditional leaders and residents, many of whom described it as life-changing.

Chairman of the Olorituns-in-Council in Ijebu Ode, High Chief Adebisi Alausa, described the intervention as unprecedented, saying it was the first time a single individual had embarked on the construction of 52 motorised boreholes within such a short period.

He commended the couple for investing their personal resources in projects that directly improve the lives of ordinary people and urged residents to protect the facilities from vandalism and ensure proper maintenance.

According to him, preserving such projects would encourage other well-meaning individuals to contribute to community development.

At Odoyanta, the commissioning turned into a celebration as thousands of residents gathered to welcome what many described as a new chapter in the community’s history.

For several residents, the borehole represents more than a source of water; it is freedom from years of relying on contaminated streams and other unsafe water sources that had exposed families to disease.

In his remarks, the Regent of Odoyanta, High Chief Abdullahi Adekoya, described the donation as unique and unprecedented, noting that no individual had ever undertaken such a project in the community.

He particularly praised the donors for not only providing the borehole but also committing to its maintenance and fueling for one year, describing the intervention as nothing short of a miracle.

The regent assured the donors that the community would take ownership of the facilities and ensure they are protected for future generations.

Speaking on behalf of the residents, the Chairman of the Odoyanta Central Committee, High Chief Awonuga Titus, expressed his appreciation to the couple, praying that God would continue to bless and reward them for their generosity.

Across the beneficiary communities, residents turned out in their numbers to honour Onabanjo, whom many described as “a man of the people” whose compassion has restored hope to families that had endured years without reliable access to clean water.

Closing the event, the spokesperson of the Ijebu Ode Council of Olorituns, Chief Oluwafemi Kareem Adagojo, assured the donors that the communities would continue to remember them in their prayers, expressing hope that their generosity would inspire others to invest in projects that uplift rural communities.

Photo: Borehole