Odigbo Community Rejoices as Guinness Commissions Water of Life Project

It was like a carnival when the Guinness Water of Life project was commissioned in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State on Wednesday, August 25, 2010. The commissioning ceremony was attended by a mammoth crowd from Odigbo community, neighbouring towns and villages as well as traditional rulers from these towns.
Also present at the commissioning were state government functionaries.
The people through their traditional ruler, Oba Daniel Akinloye expressed gratitude to Guinness Nigeria Plc for commissioning a mini waterworks to the community.
The Executive Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, who was represented by the Commissioner for Adult Education and Vocational Studies, Mrs. Florence Kehinde Momoh, commended Guinness Nigeria for the gesture.
While calling on other corporate organizations to emulate Guinness Nigeria, the commissioner, who is also an Odigbo indigene, described the projects as a good example of public-private sector collaboration in the development of the rural communities of the state.
The Lisa of Odigbo, High Chief Godwin Akindileni: said “It is like magic. Guinness knew what was bothering us and responded to the needs of the people in this area. The Odigbo community is happy over this project. We hear banks declaring billions as profits all over the whole place without touching people’s lives in any way, Before now, you could not count up to ten boreholes in the town, there was serious stress for people whenever they seek to get potable water, but with this project, Guinness has done a great thing for this town and it is marvelous in our eyes. “
Unveiling the project, the representative of the Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria, Mr. Rory McMillan said “Providing potable water to communities in Nigeria is an integral part of our corporate citizenship agenda. This is because access to safe water has become a global concern with statistics of about 1 billion people globally living with no or poor access to potable water. Of this figure, 400 million live in Africa, Nigeria inclusive,”
He said the company had completed water projects in 11 other states in Nigeria. They include Anambra, Oyo, Ogun, Niger, Nassarawa, Abia, Rivers, Lagos, Edo, Benue and Imo states. All these efforts are a part of the demonstration of good corporate citizenship to which Diageo, the parent company of Guinness, is committed to through its Water of Life programme, which aims to provide water to one million Africans annually till 2015.
The Odigbo project is made up of boreholes, overhead storage tank, a water treatment machine, a distribution network and a standby power generating set.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Orunja of Odigbo kingdom, Oba Daniel Osebayo Adetula Akinloye commended the company and promised that the Kingdom will provide land for any development project that Guinness Nigeria Plc or any other corporate organisation will desire to embark upon in the town in the future.
“I express my heartfelt gratitude to Guinness Nigeria Plc and its efficient and very generous management.” he said
Furthermore, the Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Council, Dr. Moses Akinjiyan promised that the project will be well maintained and properly managed to make Guinness proud of Odigbo people. He also used the opportunity to reiterate to the people of the community, the need to own the project and use it properly so as to encourage increased involvement of private sector organizations in developing the communities.

PICTURE CAPTION

LEFT-RIGHT:Mr. Rory Macmillan, Director of Sales, Guinness Nigeria Plc., Chief Godwin Akindileni, the Lisa of Odigbo, Oba Daniel Osebayo Akinloye, the Orunja of Odigbo and Mrs. Florence Kehinde Momoh, the Ondo State Commissioner for Adult Education and Vocational Studies at the handing over of the key to the mini waterworks donated by Guinness to the Odigbo community in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State on Wednesday, August 25,2010.