Foundation launches solar project, skills training in Ogun

The Ogunbanjo family, with the support of the Chris Ogunbanjo Foundation, has completed the first phase of the Bamofin Abimbola Ogunbanjo Imole Project, a community development initiative combining sustainable infrastructure and local skills development to improve the quality of life in Erunwon, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

The project, conceived as a living tribute to the late Abimbola Ogunbanjo, reflects his enduring values of integrity, service, leadership and community development.

The first phase saw the installation of solar-powered street lights across key roads and public spaces in Erunwon, significantly improving public safety, visibility, mobility and opportunities for evening economic activity, while also contributing to environmental sustainability through the use of renewable energy.

Recognising that lasting impact depends not only on infrastructure but also on people, the project incorporated a dedicated community skills development programme, delivered in partnership with Infrastructure Management Express Limited. Selected members of the Erunwon community received both classroom instruction and practical field training in solar lighting systems, installation support, preventive maintenance, fault identification and safe working practices. Beyond the technical training, participants were also encouraged to become custodians of the lighting infrastructure, reinforcing the principle that sustainable community development is achieved through local ownership and shared responsibility

The project team also engaged traditional rulers and community leaders within Erunwon and neighbouring communities to strengthen local support for protecting and preserving the installations, to ensure that the benefits of the project endure for years to come.

Chief Executive Officer of the Chris Ogunbanjo Foundation and spokesperson for the Ogunbanjo family, Moni Iluyomade, said the project represented the family’s desire to honour the memory of the late Ogunbanjo through meaningful action rather than words alone.

“The Imole Project represents our desire to honour Bamofin Abimbola Ogunbanjo in a manner that reflects the life he lived.

Rather than remembering him only through words, we wanted to continue his legacy through meaningful action, creating safer streets, empowering people with practical skills and investing in the long-term wellbeing of the Erunwon community,” Iluyomade said.

The foundation described the project as an example of how philanthropy can move beyond charitable giving to create sustainable community impact by combining infrastructure, education and local capacity building.

The project illumination was held on July 11, the birthday of Abimbola Ogunbanjo.