Heritage Bank Plc and Liter of Light Nigeria, a global open source movement, last Thursday launched 35 units of solar energy-powered street lights at Itomaro community, Lagos, in furtherance of their joint efforts to improve the socio-economic situation of people in the community.
The Liter of Light Nigeria comprises a group of Nigerian students of the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, who is passionate about making a positive difference to the world through the gift of light
A statement issued by Heritage Bank’s Divisional Head, Corporate Communications, Fela Ibidapo, quoted the bank’s Managing Director, Ifie Sekibo, as commending the people living in the community for giving access to the joint team of Heritage Bank and Liter of Light Nigeria to execute the project.
Sekibo, who was represented at the event by the bank’s Head, Brand Management & Sustainability, Ozena Utulu, pointed out that without their confidence in the project, the achievement recorded would not have been possible.
He commended also the community’s youths for volunteering to participate in the training sessions organized during the two-week period of the production of the street lights.
Sekibo expressed confidence that with the knowledge acquired during the training sessions, the effective maintenance of the new street lights would not be difficult. Her words:
According to him, the youths already have the knowledge required to ensure the street lights are effectively sustained and to produce more units.
He charged the youths to research more into what solar energy can be used for in the contemporary world.
Sekibo said: “Read more about solar energy; you never can tell where the knowledge you have acquired under the programme can lead to in the future. My advice for you is try to discover yourself now concerning what you would love to become in the future and begin to work towards achieving the goal.
“Use the knowledge acquired today to create wealth. The power rests with you now. In everything you do in life, challenges can come; but remain steadfast and confront whatever storm of life. With such determination, you will achieve your goal”, the banker added.
In his remarks, one of the Project Co-coordinator for Liter of Light, Enemona Adaji, disclosed that the movement was founded with the aim of providing ecologically sustainable street lights. According to him, the easily constructed device consists of a 1-2L bottle fashioned into a solar bulb delivering as much light as a 40 – 60-watt incandescent bulb.
According to him, the team had earlier provided100 sustainable and affordable solar-powered lightings to the Makoko slum, an area which previously struggled with lighting.
Similarly, a representative of the University of Nottingham; Emma Tayou, explained that the institution had culture of charging its students to think about any viable project that can help to positively impact the society.
According to her, a group of Nigerian students of the university decided that they would take on the challenge of lighting up the dark streets of impoverished communities in this country.
She said the university bought into the idea and supported them with the take-off grant that set the initial pedestal for them, commending the team for the sacrifices each member is making to ensure the mission is accomplished in every community selected.
