Orisun Titun Foundation berths in Ejigbo

By Isa Isawade

A foundation, Orisun Titun, aimed at catering for the needs of people and development of Ejigbo Local Government Area of Osun State, has berthed in the State of The Living Spring. The foundation, established early 2025, was the brainchild of a Pharmacist and Managing Director of Troyhealth Nigeria Limited, Mumini Olatunde Bakare, alongside his colleague and fellow Ejigbo indigene, Engr. Omowonuola Gbenro. The two leaders recently visited our PRESS HOUSE Headquarters in Lagos to talk about the vision and mission of the newly established non-governmental organization. Pictures were taken by Photojournalist Emmanuel Ijiola.

What are the specific objectives of the foundation?

Bakare who is the Chairman of the foundation explained: “Essentially, the sole goal of the foundation is to give back to our communities in Ejigbo Local Government Area. That’s the focal point but the aim is to expand statewide. That’s the idea. We have a four-pronged approach to our aim- we are targeting health, we are targeting education, we are targeting women and youth empowerment in terms of social needs, jobs, people who want to set up businesses and the fourth one is infrastructural intervention.”

When would Orisun Titun hit the ground running?

The pharmacist said: “We’ve been doing a lot of interventions along those four key areas within the community. We’ve been sponsoring students for their educational advancement- we pay WAEC and NECO examination fees, we pay university tuition for some students, we pay for medical surgeries for people who need it. We’ve made some cash donations. We have supplied some items to local maternity centres so they can offer better healthcare to people.”

According to him, what Orisun Titun has done so far could be considered a rehearsal, as it has more laudable projects toward uplifting the people of Ejigbo Local Government.

To achieve this, the foundation intends to collaborate with private individuals and organisations who are also positively impacting lives for assistance to reach out to people in need.

How does the foundation intervene on the very pressing infrastructural needs of  Ejigbo?

According to Engr. Gbenro, who is a board of trustees’ member and secretary of the foundation, the team steps in whenever there is observed infrastructural deficit, citing instances to buttress his point.

“Like what we are doing currently, we are constructing two blocks of classrooms at the two public primary schools we have in our community. They have reached advanced stage of plastering and covering. It just remains the doors and the windows. Furniture will be delivered to them hopefully before the end of the year,” he pledged.

“You know we a rural community and government’s hand may not touch everywhere. There is a need for private intervention, the kind of help for people which the government might not be able to provide. Those are our targets. For example, in the Isundunrin Community High School, that’s the only secondary school we have in that community. It was built in 1979 and ever since, there has never been any government intervention in terms of infrastructure. So, before we came in to do something, the buildings had already dilapidated.

“Part of what we did was to demand to know the government organization responsible for maintaining the structure which we got to know was the state’s universal basic education. We approached them and had a kind of agreement to push them to come and do the needful. So, they came and renovated some blocks.

“We came up with interventions on education for the indigent youths who probably have the talent but there is no money. The one we did last was for a student who couldn’t even pay acceptance fee let alone the school fees. We have to come in and intervene. What we have come in to do for the student is not a scholarship per say, it’s an intervention. We don’t want to concentrate all the resources on one person. So, we provide intervention for those who needed it at that particular time.

“We also provide a kind of encouragement for the brilliant ones among them. They are not indigent, but they are super brilliant. They’ve performed very well. We’ve institutionalised something like an award for the best students in science and some other subjects. This is to encourage those that are coming behind to do more.

“One of the schools we actually intervened, the community school as he mentioned earlier, at a point they had over 600 students and there was just only one block of about three classrooms. Others had dilapidated, roofs gone, no windows, no doors. We’re also part of the old students’ association of the same school, so we are to work with the exco trying to mobilize. We have been able to raise funds. We have been able to put up a new block of classrooms and also an administrative block for the teaching staff,” Gbenro listed the foundation’s achievements within its short period of existence.

From the list of philanthropic activities of the foundation so far, it’s clear that efforts have been more on education. Why more on education?

Engr. Gbenro simply said “Education is key, an educated mind is a liberated mind.” Bakare added that his team would soon effectively extend its activities to the remaining areas of the foundation’s focus which include youths and women empowerment, and health.

‎How does the foundation raise funds to execute its projects?
‎
‎Bakare, who has also been made the Chairman, Board of Governors of Isundunrin Community High School answered: “Personal. We try to do as much as we can on our own. For the community, the old students’ association raises funds. We tax ourselves, different classes that have graduated also raise funds and then we also approach the State Government. They were able to provide some chairs and tables. We spearhead this. Majorly, we tax ourselves to raise funds. I want to add that even though we don’t have a major challenge yet, we can always do more. If you go to the school and you are able to intervene on the most critical need; maybe there are three, four, five most brilliant students we can say okay let’s take care of these five students. There are still more to be done.”

Engr. Gbenro explained that Bakare was made Chairman, Board of Governors of the School when the government saw the efforts his team was putting out in terms of interventions. He added that there were other community people, old students and religious leaders on the governing board.
‎
What was the motivation behind establishment of Orisun Titun?

Gbenro responded: “To develop our communities in Ejigbo Local Government. At a time, some years back, we traveled home, we drove into the old school and saw so many buildings nearly collapsed. Then we drove into the town, we went to the primary schools. We have two public primary schools in that community- Baptist Day School and Young Tajudeen School, and absolutely no building was existing in the schools and there were students there. Those pupils are our children either directly or indirectly. They are our relatives. So, we said okay, even if the government is not going to do anything for now, we passed through that terrain. Let’s call ourselves together. Let’s see what we can do in our own little capacity to give back. Then, we have a health center in that community, we went there to ask after their welfare. They told us about their challenges. So, we have to come in. That’s basically what motivated us.”

‎What mechanism has the foundation put in place to reach out to individuals and organizations who could support the movement in order to meet its aspirations?
‎
‎Bakare said: “I think coming here is one of our efforts to let the world know about us and what we intend to do. Officially, the foundation was recently registered. We’re doing some grassroots mobilization, talking to people but this is our first major step outside to create awareness for people to know about us. Our intention is to have an official launching of the foundation at the end of the year.”

Gbenro added that “We have other plans, once we do proper launching then our activities that have already been put in plans will be put into actions, there will be programmes on yearly basis. Our medical outreach will be on quarterly basis. We have to reach out to people because nipping a small ailment in the bud will solve a lot of problems. Therefore, we are starting, and we know that most of those things we mentioned earlier were done on individual levels. Bringing the efforts together under the foundation’s umbrella will serve many purposes. It will enable us to be proactive, not waiting until you are called upon to attend to issues when they have become crises. Then, coming together will bring awareness and encourage whoever wants to have a similar dream to say okay, they too can do something better for the community.”

‎What should the people expect from Orisun Titun soon?
‎
‎”When we do our launching around December this year, right now we are formulating an action plan to say we would ensure that we have regular programmes to cover those four key areas- youths and women empowerment, education, health, and infrastructure. These will be happening on a regular basis. At the launch, we will have the action plan to share with the public,” Bakare promised.