WELBECK GIVES OSOORO PALACE SOLAR LIGHT, UNVEILS BROADER RURAL DEVELOPMENT PUSH

Welbeck Energy Distribution Limited, an independent power producer based in Lagos, commissioned a 6KVA solar and inverter system on Saturday, November 22nd, 2025, at the Rebuja Paramount Palace in the Osooro Kingdom in Ondo State. The installation, carried out in the court of Oba Dr. S. Gbadebo Bajowa (JP), Lubokun IV, marks a symbolic return of light to a community that has endured nearly two decades without reliable power.

The event drew senior security officials, including representatives from the Nigerian Army’s 19 Battalion, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Amotekun Corps. Welbeck Energy also donated branded raincoats and reflective jackets to the security agencies in recognition of their service.

For Afolabi Aiyela, the company’s Managing Director and CEO and an indigene of Osooro, the project is only the beginning. Speaking at the commissioning, he described the initiative as part of a broader commitment to improving the economic resilience of his community. He said that there was more to give back, as he outlined plans to bolster local food security through small-scale industrialization and access to processing machinery.

According to Aiyela, discussions are underway with the traditional ruler, to get the Bank of Industry to secure financing that would allow newly formed cooperative societies to procure agro-processing equipment. This machinery, he said, would enable farmers to store produce, minimize post-harvest losses and create market ready goods. With the Atlantic coast nearby, he also hinted at the establishment of cold rooms for fish and perishable commodities, further strengthening the value chain.

Beyond agriculture, Welbeck Energy aims to extend power supply across Osooro and adjoining communities, including Okitipupa and Ilaje. Aiyela emphasized that achieving this will require collaboration with government agencies and access to targeted development funding. Rural electrification, he said, is essential to unlocking economic activity long stifled by chronic outages.

Oba Bajowa, visibly pleased by the installation, praised the gesture as charity beginning at home. He urged other successful indigenes to emulate Aiyela by supporting projects that uplift grassroots communities. The monarch said this kind of benevolence leaves a lasting impact.

In recognition of their contributions, Aiyela and his wife were conferred with the chieftaincy titles of Bobagunwa and Yeye Bobagunwa of Osooro.

With the sun now powering its royal palace, Osooro’s journey toward energy and economic revitalization appears to have entered a new chapter, one driven not only by technology, but by a renewed sense of community responsibility.