A real estate firm, Pelican Valley, has recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the representatives of the Ijeun Ariobiologbo and Arowa communities in Ogun State.
In a statement, the firm said the objective of the agreement was to provide electricity access to the residents by utilising the nearby transformer that currently serves Pelican Valley’s estate, situated approximately 200 metres away from those communities.
The Chief Executive Officer of Pelican Valley, Babatunde Adeyemo, who signed the MoU on behalf of the company, said the company took the task of connecting the beneficiaries to the national grid as part of its corporate social responsibility to mark its 44th birthday.
He said, “The first phase of the intervention would give 20 houses access to electricity while others would be accommodated in subsequent phases.”
The Baale of Ijeun Ariobiologbo, Chief Rasheed Odewale, and Baale of Arowa, Chief Akeem Raheem, commended the firm for coming to their rescue.
Raheem disclosed that the two communities had been without electricity for over 60 years.
He said, “Previously, some organizations had promised to connect the communities to public power supply without fulfilling the promises.”
Also speaking, a community member of Arowa, Amoke Alani, appealed to the firm to provide people of the community with boreholes while lamenting that the community’s stream, which had been their only source of water, had now been polluted due to flood.
She maintained that the indigenes and residents risk cholera and other waterborne diseases should they keep drinking water from the stream, especially during this rainy season.
Meanwhile, the statement added that the Pelican Valley boss celebrated his 44th birthday with inmates in Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State, where he gave them bags of rice and cash.
While addressing the inmates, Adeyemo said he chose to celebrate his birthday with them to encourage them not to feel downcast because of where they were.
He encouraged them not to give up on God.
The Deputy Controller of the correctional center, James Ogunmoyede, indicated that the Pelican boss was the first individual, after Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s visit in January to donate items to the inmates, who personally visit the correctional home and extend support to the residents.
Ogunmoyede, thereafter, appealed to others to follow the company’s example and show kindness towards the inmates.