Everyday Heroes: Oyebowale Oladayo

“Your input in your country is better felt in its developing stage. You will be celebrated for your contributions when it is fully developed.” – Christianah Ajiki

Mr Oyebowale Oladayo, is one of the patriotic Nigerians who seek to effect change in the society in every way possible. He is passionate about community development and selflessly gives himself to community development projects. Oladayo, also known as Mr Solution, is a graduate of Sociology from the University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, and hold an MBA degree from the University of Lagos, Lagos State. He is a real estate and housing developer. Other than this, he also runs a non-governmental organization, De-Real Community Self-help Project, established in 2014.

The NGO focuses on the rehabilitation of people and roads. It engages in grading of roads, excavation of gutters, road filling to smoothen and level them, concreting of waterways, interlocking of roads, and asphalting of roads. Oyebowale Oladayo maintains that he engages in these projects not to compete with the government, neither is it in view of a political ambition. Rather, it is his way of complimenting the Nigerian government in order to bring relief to the citizens of the country.

Projects Residents of some areas in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State have benefitted from these road rehabilitation projects embarked upon by Oladayo and his team. Some of such areas are Matogun – Oke-Aro road, Giwa – Piggery road, Olambe – Kampala road, Adiyan – Orudu road, Abule Osho road, Otemuyiwa road, and Agbado Oke-Aro LCDA. Currently, the team is working on Toyin – Taju Bello Road. So far, the road has been graded, drainage dug, and it is being filled, thereafter the road would be interlocked. A committed worker, Oladayo is always found on the site of his projects.

All these projects, some of which cost millions of Naira, are usually self-funded by Oladayo and his committee of friends. However, some motorists donate money to the team when they are working on the roads. Besides road repair, Oyebowale Oladayo also rehabilitates lives. He, alongside his team, picks drug addicts off the roads and garages and helps them to overcome their addiction. Award On August 17, 2016, De-Real Community Self-help Projects was presented with an award of by Project-Help-a-Child Initiative for his “Selfless Service to Humanity”and being a partner with them. References: Exclusive interview with Mr Oladayo Oyebowale Guardian.