Since the early 18th century, the Congregation of the Spiritans Fathers has been nurturing the needs of those in poverty, through projects that combine evangelization with direct, practical action - particularly education - to bring meaningful positive change for the health and welfare of those in need.
In 2013, a missionary priest, Father Sylvester Adeniyi, of the Holy Ghost Fathers - properly known as Spiritans - returned to Ijebu Irawo to minister to the communities of the district. Moved by the great needs of the communities around him, Father Sylvester began to formulate ambitious but realistic plans to help improve health, welfare, educational and economic outcomes for people in the area. Seventeen years later, having worked closely with people across the locality, those ideas have begun to take shape through direct action in initiating critical first steps on the farm, while the project moves into the planning phase.
In 2015, a sizeable portion of land was given to Father Sylvester by the community of the Irawo people, in appreciation of the successful completion of other projects, most notable of which was the building of a bridge across a large river to ensure accessibility, even during the long months of monsoon rains, thus removing the many difficult and sometimes dangerous complications caused by living in a very isolated area.
The Spiritans Springs site is rich agricultural and forested land, boasting not only a river but also beautiful lakes that are well-stocked with fish, only approximately 2km from Oke-n-la. Such diverse habitats require careful stewardship: this is both a responsibility and a joy.