Owa Obokun Commissions Community Development Projects During Visit to Segilola Resources Operating Limited in Osun State  – THISDAYLIVE

Victoria Ojiako 

Segilola Resources Operating Limited (SROL) welcomed His Imperial Majesty, the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup (Ajimoko III), to its operations in Odo-Ijesa, Osun State, as part of his tour of major industries and community development projects across Ijesaland.

The Deputy General Manager, Mr Olusola Olusomidomo, received His Imperial Majesty on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer, Mr Segun Lawson.

During the visit, His Imperial Majesty toured SROL’s facilities, including the Segilola Gold Mine, the Site Pit, the community-owned Ogere-Ekun Golden Water Factory in Iperindo, and the LRP Ifesowapo Fish Market.

The visit also featured the commissioning of key Community Development Agreement (CDA) projects, including the rehabilitation of the Imogbara/Odo-Ijesha road corridor, the Olumolu of Imogbara Palace, and a block of classrooms at the Imogbara Primary School.

The projects reinforce SROL’s commitment to sustainable development, infrastructure improvement, and economic empowerment across its host communities in Osun State. Together, these initiatives have created direct employment opportunities for more than 80 community indigenes, strengthening SROL’s commitment to sustainable community development and inclusive economic growth. Currently, 27% of the workforce at the Segilola Gold Mine comes from host communities, while 25% of employees are from Osun State.

Located on Araromi Street in Iperindo, the Ogere-Ekun Golden Water Factory (OGW) is a community-owned venture developed as part of the company’s CDA commitments. Once it’s commissioned, the facility is designed to produce 3,000 litres of treated water per hour. It is equipped with full reverse osmosis and ozone treatment systems, PET bottle-blowing and sachet water production lines, shrink-wrapping systems, steam labelling equipment, bottle-capping systems, and a 60kVA backup generator to ensure uninterrupted production. Supporting infrastructure includes a borehole water source, overhead storage tanks, sterilisation units, a production hall with dedicated raw-material and finished-goods stores, a loading bay, a generator house, and perimeter fencing.

From inception, the OGW enterprise was designed as a self-sustaining, revenue-generating venture capable of reducing host communities’ dependence on external drinking water supplies and creating long-term economic value for these communities. The factory is governed by a Board of Trustees composed of community representatives, ensuring local ownership and accountability.

In addition to the water factory, SROL also completed the rehabilitation of a 2.4-kilometre stretch of road connecting Imogbara and Odo-Ijesha. The project included grading, laterite filling compaction, and construction of rigid pavement roads using interlocking stones. To improve durability and year-round accessibility, the rehabilitation also incorporated double-sided drainage systems and, where necessary, culvert installations, helping reduce waterlogging and prevent future road damage.

Speaking during the commissioning, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Haastrup, commended SROL for providing employment opportunities to over 2,000 individuals across the South-West region, noting that 40% of the beneficiaries are from communities within Ijesaland. The paramount ruler of Ijesaland also underscored the importance of adhering to Community Development Agreements (CDAs) and implementing impactful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives that directly benefit host communities. 

Highlighting the impact of the projects, Madhurii Sarkar-Amoda, Community Development and Stakeholder Manager at SROL, said:

“We are proud of these community development projects because in a place like Nigeria, where only 67% of the population has access to clean drinking water, millions of people, particularly in rural areas, are left to rely on unsafe water sources, which cause preventable water-borne illnesses. The water factory will solve this problem for the Iperindo community by providing a trusted drinking water source for residents and it also serves as a source of livelihood and economic prosperity that will outlive the mine. On the other side, the rehabilitation of the road will improve access to Imogbara and Odo-Ijesha, unlocking greater economic opportunities for both communities. The project will also enhance safety for motorists and pedestrians, while reducing flooding through the installation of an efficient drainage system.” 

The completion of these projects reflects SROL’s commitment to building sustainable partnerships with its host communities through investments that create value and support long-term economic development.