…as Hon. Azeezat Owonla donates Borehole in Ayobo-Ipaja
By Olanrewaju Adesanya
The Supervisor for Budget Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA Hon. Azeezat Owonla-Odubajo has donated a borehole to Baruwa Ward-E community in order to make available potable water to residents.
Revealing what really motivated her to initiate the project in the area during the official commissioning by the former Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA council boss Mr. Shakiru Adisa and her father the Baale of Cardoso Community on Thursday, Azeezat fondly called Omo-Owo stressed that the unavailability of power supply and the long-distance residents cover before they can access water gets to her.
“This is not the first nor the second project facilitated by my humble self here, but I just felt the pains of people grappling with unavailability of power supply couple with the long distance they travel to get water.
“So, I just thought of something that I could do that could ease their stress and as well help the federal and state government in order for people to get the dividends of democracy because they put us there, so why not give something tangible enough and that will help ease their stress?
“The people will always want more; I pray that God give me more grace to at least give them as my own quota to influencing development. God so good we have been able to facilitate power supply through a prepaid meter arrangement and also a generator set for them to revert to when there is power outage, because I want it to be 24 hours water supply. I have handed it over to the CDA chairman for maintenance and supervision.”
“In this regards I also want to appreciate our Governor, our own Mr. Sellable- Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, we want to say thank you so much, because he has been a huge inspiration for young people like myself too, to make sure we give back to the community.”
Charting a way forward for the women folk in the coming year 2024, Azeezat charged them to discard the thought that women cannot do well in politics without cutting corners, citing perfect sample of women making good use of available opportunities to bring in lots of good to the nation.
“It is the season of Christmas and New Year, I want to appeal to women like myself most especially young women, you don’t have to see politics like a stigma or something that is bad, it is what we all have to get involved in and do, because together we can. If you say one person should be doing it and you are at the back it is not too good, it is better we are all together and we are doing this.
“Leadership is not all about politics, you can be a leader in your community and do great things, so I would charge every young woman like myself, there are so many opportunities for women lately.
“It is not just about about what you can offer with your body, now we have so many opportunity women are at the forefront, we have many women on top, Dr. Betta Edu is a very good example, so I would advise women to please key into politics, leadership and mentorship and as well contribute to their community irrespective of any level they are in life.”
While commissioning the water project, Mr. Shakiru Adisa former Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA Executive Chairman note that it has been the passion of Azeezat to give back to the community and so the entire community have no regret for having appointed her as a Supervisor at the LCDA.
“I thank Azeezat Omoowo who is the initiator of this water project, she thought it wise to give the dividend of democracy back to the people that voted the party in. She is a young woman with the heart of doing wonderful things for the people.
“She has done several empowerments within a short time like empowerment to the whole residents of Ayobo-Ipaja, she has given scholarship to many who are now in the higher institution, this water project is another one here in Orisun community.
“She wants them to enjoy free clean water, the CDA should ensure the proper maintenance of the borehole for it to last.
“They can also make time frames for the facility to operate say in the morning from 6-9am and evening from 4-8pm to ease management of the borehole quite well, we have no regret that she was appointed one of our supervisors in Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA.”
Her father High Chief Morouf Owonla Baale of Cardoso where the project is being sited added that it was a fulfilling moment because his child thought it wise to facilitate a laudable project within her community.
“I feel fulfilled because for a son of the soil to be doing a wonderful thing like this it is very impressive, this is what we expect from her and I am sure more is still coming through her to Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA not limited to this community.
“All we need do for her is to pray for long life and good health for her to continue with the good job she had in mind. She had good intentions and plans we are not surprised as she is doing it, because she happens to be a son of the soil and that is exactly what is expected of her.
The traditional leader also tasks well-meaning individuals in the community not to leave developmental responsibilities to government alone, given the myriads of issues they had to attend to in the society.
“Our needs here are not limited to one thing so many are still not being done like road infrastructure, stable electricity and so many other things like that but all I just believe is that government alone cannot do it, so in any form we individuals too can contribute our quota, I think we should give them support.
“They are trying so we cannot say we want to leave everything to them because in this place we don’t have good roads, we lack so many things but I believe with time, the government will come to our aid” Baale Owonla said.
He however, urged the initiator to always look back and see to the maintenance of the water project as well.
“We can’t leave it for the community to maintain, they don’t know the purpose and motive of the initiator, she has to come around to check, so as to aid maintenance she needs to give support regarding that too.”
For Mr. Akinwunmi Kayode Olawale the Chairman Platinum CDA Orisun Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, direct beneficiary of the kind gesture by Azeezat it is a very wonderful one as it will ease the problem people encounter in their effort to access clean water prior to now.
“Before now people go about looking for water, this nearby Church later started providing us water to help out but with this wonderful project she has just done in our community, we really appreciate it as it will go a long way to address water supply issue here.”