As the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA), Ashiru is not just managing water resources—he’s reimagining how they can transform lives, improve food security, and power a nation striving for self-sufficiency. With a Doctorate in Engineering from Commonwealth University, UK, and a career marked by leadership in high-stakes industries, Ashiru brings a blend of technical expertise and visionary zeal to one of Nigeria’s most critical agencies.
Ashiru’s story is one of ambition meeting opportunity. Before stepping into OORBDA in May 2024, he carved a distinguished path leading a consortium of blue-chip companies—an endeavor that showcased his ability to navigate complex systems and deliver results. His appointment by President Bola Tinubu came at a time when Nigeria faced mounting challenges: food insecurity, erratic power supply, and the pressing need for sustainable development. Ashiru, with his engineering acumen and proven track record, was a natural fit to steer OORBDA toward meeting these demands.
His tenure began with a clear mandate: to harness the region’s water resources for irrigation, agriculture, and hydropower while ensuring transparency and efficiency. It’s a tall order, but Ashiru has approached it with the precision of an engineer and the optimism of a leader who believes in Nigeria’s potential.
Under Ashiru’s leadership, OORBDA has become a linchpin in President Tinubu’s agricultural agenda. One of his boldest commitments is to make hunger a relic of the past. “The efforts being made by President Bola Tinubu to tackle food insecurity in the country are already yielding results,” Ashiru declared in October 2024 during a training session for 200 Southwest farmers in Abeokuta. The program, focused on irrigation farming, is just one piece of a larger puzzle he’s assembling—one where water becomes the catalyst for year-round farming and economic empowerment.
Ashiru’s vision extends beyond rhetoric. In November 2024, he unveiled plans for the Federal Government to construct seven dams across the six southwestern states. These dams, designed primarily for irrigation, will support 12 greenhouses and open fields at each location, complete with storage facilities to preserve harvests. It’s a blueprint for resilience, ensuring that farmers can cultivate crops regardless of the season and that communities can thrive amid climate uncertainties.
Water, in Ashiru’s hands, is more than a resource—it’s a source of energy. Take the Oyan Dam, commissioned in 1979 with three turbines capable of generating nine megawatts of electricity. For decades, its potential lay dormant, its turbines humming for just an hour after its debut. Ashiru is determined to change that. He’s spearheading negotiations to concession the dam’s hydropower component, with plans to finalize the deal by 2025. “We are in talks with investors,” he shared at the 46th Annual Conference of the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria in Lagos. If successful, this move could inject much-needed power into the national grid, proving that old infrastructure can find new life under innovative leadership.
Ashiru’s influence isn’t confined to OORBDA’s offices in Abeokuta. In October 2024, the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE) conferred upon him the prestigious Fellowship title at their 37th International Conference in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State. Weeks earlier, the Nigerian Institution of Water Engineers (NIWE) had done the same. These accolades reflect not just his technical prowess but his growing stature as a thought leader in Nigeria’s engineering community. “This recognition is a testament to my modest contributions to the field,” Ashiru said humbly after the NIMechE honor. Yet, those contributions are anything but modest—they’re reshaping how Nigeria manages its natural resources.
Ashiru understands that progress demands partnership. In January 2025, when Dr. Angel Adelaja-Kuye, Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Agriculture, visited OORBDA, Ashiru welcomed the chance to align federal and state efforts. The state’s ISEYA Agenda, championed by Governor Dapo Abiodun, dovetails with OORBDA’s goals, and Ashiru proposed integrating the Mokoloki farm project—or even new land—into the Sustainable Power and Irrigation in Nigeria (SPIN) initiative. “We have about 4,000 hectares available,” he noted, outlining a plan that could optimize water use, enhance hydropower, and drive sustainable development.
While Ashiru’s professional life is well documented, the man himself remains somewhat of an enigma—a private figure whose work speaks louder than his words. What’s clear is his dedication to results. Whether he’s advocating for green technology at engineering conferences or strategizing with policymakers, Ashiru embodies a rare blend of pragmatism and idealism. He’s not just building dams or training farmers; he’s building a legacy of resilience for a region and a nation.
As Nigeria navigates the complexities of the 21st century, leaders like Adedeji Ashiru offer a glimpse of what’s possible when expertise meets purpose. With every dam constructed, every farmer empowered, and every megawatt generated, he’s proving that the future doesn’t have to be a struggle—it can be a harvest.
