Residents of Ifedapo/Oke-Odo community in Ona-Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State were in a happy mood recently when a bridge that was reconstructed by a voluntary organisation, Akin Alabi Foundation, was inaugurated.
The bridge, which was said to be the albatross of the residents, had claimed many lives and destroyed property worth millions of naira during rainy season.
Speaking at the inauguration of the bridge, founder and president of the foundation, Chief Akin Alabi, said the community development projects and other projects embarked upon by the foundation were not politically motivated, but service to humanity.
He said: “We go around looking for what we can do that will impact on the lives of the people. As you know, ‘touching lives, one person at a time’ is our motto; this is why we go to communities to find out what the people need in their respective domains.
“When we came here, we saw that the residents couldn’t move out because of the state of the bridge, especially when it rains. This was why we considered the bridge as an important project and today, we are all happy.”
In his remarks, the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Ona-Ara Local Government Area, Mr Shina Adebayo, who officially commissioned the bridge, said what Chief Alabi was doing in terms of provision of amenities to the people of the council was commendable.
While thanking the donor for the gesture, the chairman of the landlords association, Mr Oladele Ahmed, said residents of the area usually have problem whenever it rained, saying “we always stay indoors whenever there is downpour. We thank Akin Alabi Foundation and its founder for rescuing us from our predicament.”