NEWS
VDM Foundation Commissions Borehole at Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba
…as Team Commends Rector for Swift Approval, Support for Borehole Project
The Martins Vincent Otse Initiative (MVOI), founded by social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has completed and handed over a new water borehole to Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, in another intervention aimed at addressing practical needs within Nigerian communities and public institutions.
The borehole was officially commissioned by the Rector of the Polytechnic, Engr. Dr. Christopher Okoro Kalu, following the completion of the project by the organisation’s technical team.
The project was completed and formally handed over to the institution on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, marking another phase in the organisation’s growing public service interventions across the country.
The intervention reflects the focus of the VDM Foundation on providing practical support to communities and public institutions, with particular attention to access to potable water, youth empowerment and other forms of social assistance capable of improving the wellbeing of beneficiaries.
The initiative dates back to July 24, 2026, when the VDM team, led by Engr. Dominion Godson, visited Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic and was received by the Rector. During the visit, the team presented its proposal to construct a borehole within the institution to help address its water needs.
Following approval by the Rector, work commenced at a location behind the Polytechnic’s ICT Auditorium. The technical team subsequently carried out the drilling, installation, tiling and other associated works required to deliver the completed facility.
The team explained that its decision to install a conventional borehole rather than a solar-powered system was based on its assessment of the Polytechnic’s existing infrastructure. According to the team, the institution has access to electricity, making a conventional pumping system a suitable option for the facility.
Speaking during the handover, the team lead, Engr. Dominion Godson, disclosed that Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic was the third institution to benefit from the organisation’s intervention.
Godson explained that although the team’s primary focus was on extending assistance to people in rural communities, its intervention programme was not limited to rural areas. He said the organisation also responds to identified needs in educational institutions and other communities where its assistance could make a meaningful difference.
He commended the Rector for granting prompt approval for the project and praised the Polytechnic Management, staff and the surrounding community for their cooperation throughout the execution of the work.
Receiving the project on behalf of the institution, the Rector, Engr. Dr. Christopher Okoro Kalu, commended VeryDarkMan for using his social media platform to drive tangible interventions capable of directly improving people’s lives.
“It is one thing to be on social media, and another thing to have impact,” the Rector said.
Kalu noted that the borehole came at an important time for the Polytechnic, particularly as ongoing infrastructural development and construction activities within the institution had affected some buildings and existing water channels.
According to him, the intervention would complement the administration’s efforts to address issues affecting students and the wider Polytechnic community while contributing to the creation of a more conducive environment for teaching, learning and student welfare.
“On behalf of the Council, Management, Staff and Students of this Polytechnic, we want to thank VDM. This complements what His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, is doing,” he said.
The Rector also welcomed the intervention in Abia State, stressing that individuals and organisations do not necessarily have to originate from a particular state before contributing positively to the lives of its residents.
He further prayed for God’s protection, wisdom and continued strength for VeryDarkMan, expressing the hope that the activist would sustain the initiative and reach more people through similar interventions.
The newly completed borehole, located behind the ICT Auditorium, has now been formally handed over to Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic for use by the institution.
The facility carries the inscription, “The Ratal Movement, July 2026,” marking its connection to the movement behind the intervention.
The project adds to the growing list of community-focused initiatives associated with the VDM Foundation and underscores the increasing role of private individuals and social organisations in supporting public institutions and addressing basic
infrastructure needs across Nigeria.