Popular social media skit maker, Bello Habib Galadanci, widely known as Dan Bello, has constructed a solar-powered borehole in two rural communities in Katsina State, at a cost of N4.3 million.
The borehole aims to alleviate the suffering of villagers who have lacked access to clean water for decades.
The communities, Yar Lami Santar Riga and Yar Lami Santar Lema, are located just a few kilometres from the hometowns of former President Muhammadu Buhari and Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika.
The villages are approximately 52 kilometres from Daura, Buhari’s birthplace, and 23 kilometres from Shargalle, Sirika’s hometown.
Before Dan Bello’s intervention, the residents of these villages had to walk over an hour to collect dirty, murky water from a stagnant pond, which they used for drinking and other domestic purposes.
The severe lack of clean water meant that children in the villages could not attend school, as there were no healthcare centres, access roads, or basic amenities. The villagers had to travel to a nearby community, Dan Doma, to receive medical care, which serves 16 other neighbouring communities.
Despite the difficulties, Dan Bello remained determined to bring water to the villages. Initial attempts to drill for water faced setbacks when the drilling machine failed to penetrate the groundwater after reaching a depth of 65 meters.
The villagers, accustomed to empty promises from political leaders, were disheartened by the development.
They had grown sceptical of leaders who had, in the past, deceived them with hopeful words that ultimately amounted to nothing.
However, Dan Bello refused to give up on his promise to the villagers. “We won’t abandon these people the way their leaders have,” he said.
“We won’t give them hollow promises or play with their emotions. We won’t let them dream of something they’ve wanted all their lives, only to later tell them that we’ve tried and that’s the best we can do.”
Determined to find a solution, Dan Bello brought in a new surveyor to help locate the groundwater.
Though the results were not as promising as the first attempt, the drilling company was reluctant to return, offering excuses for their delays.
Despite these setbacks, Bello and his team, including assistants Ibrahim and Mukhtar, persisted, staying overnight to ensure the company would resume work.
“Finally, the truck drilled again, and as we waited with hope, something magical happened,” Dan Bello recalled.
On February 1st, Dan Bello commissioned the borehole, which now provides the villagers with pure and clean drinking water. The success of the project has been met with immense joy from the residents, who had long been deprived of such a vital resource.
Dan Bello explained that the funds for the project came from the proceeds of monetising his social media skits, a source of income that he used to execute the project.
He expressed gratitude to his social media fans for their support, saying, “This project would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of my fans.”
Dan Bello emphasised the importance of showing true leadership.
“We promised ourselves to finish every single naira we have to get these people water. If we run out of resources, we’ll save and return to try again. Unlike the typical Nigerian leaders, these villagers are human beings like us,” he said.
