Protest in six Osun communities as residents live in perpetual fear over power outages

Inhabitants of Yakooyo, the country home of the former Chief of Defense Staff, General Alani Akinrinade (Rtd) and other towns in Ife North Local government area of Osun State are now living in complete darkness following the power outage that rocked the communities for the past four months.

Students of tertiary institutions and secondary schools in the local government area of Osun State on Thursday staged a peaceful protest to register their grievances on the development.

Speaking on the development at a Press Conference held at the town hall of Ipetumodu, the headquarters of the local government, leaders of the communities under the aegis of Ife North Progressive presidents, appealed to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), to find a solution to the blackout and restore electricity back to their towns.

The commercial activities of the affected towns comprising of seven towns popularly called ‘Origbo Meje’ are Ipetumodu, Edunabon, Moro, Yakooyo, Asipa and Akinlalu are now in total paralysis and appealed to the appropriate authorities to act speedily in restoring power supply to their communities.

They made the appeal through their president, Yakooyo Progressive Union, Prince Oyebowale Adewale, Chief Julius Olaleke Ojediran, representing Asipa, and other leaders from different communities at the press conference.

According to them, “the blackout has given kidnappers and other criminals opportunity to carry out the heinous crime in the towns.”

According to them, “the blackout has encouraged stealing in the communities. At Asipa town, a shop was recently looted by the thieves taking the advantage to perform their bad act in the darkness.”

“The total blackout has paralysed the economic activities in the local government. Those people using electricity to do their daily works find it very difficult to transact their business and this needs urgent attention so that the society will not become desolate.”

“IBEDC does not want any problem in the local government, positive action must be taken on time.”

In his own remark, President of Ipetumodu, Sunday Oyebowale, said the substation is grossly inadequate and requires total upgrading and overhauling. He said, “It is very sad and very disheartening to note that Ife-North Local Government have been experiencing total blackout four months ago and nothing has been done by the IBEDC to alleviate our problem.

“The total blackout has been encouraging kidnapping of people, as we know that when there is no light, the nay bad cat is easy to perpetrate. Non-supply of electricity has encouraged theft in the communities. At Asipa community, a shop was looted by thieves who took advantage of the darkness; this same problem had been reported in many areas in the local government.

“Our economic activities have been paralysed as people using electricity to do their daily works find it very difficult to transact their businesses and this need urgent attention so that the society will not become desolate. Ife-North has been known for peace but this absence of light has made it to be a lawless society where different people just come into the Local Government unchallenged at night. Out System Government and the IBEDC must make sure that positive step is taken before things go out of hands.

“People who deal with frozen food business are suffering because there is no electricity to freeze their food and many of them have turned to debtors due to the damage of their wares like fish, turkey and meat of all kinds. Artisans like welders, hairdressers, electricians and all sorts of trades are suffering because of a lack of electricity supply.

“We have written several letters to the State Governor and the IBEDC even to their main office in Ibadan but nothing has been done. We are imploring people in authority and Nigeria Government to stand up and assist us so that we won’t continue to suffer,” he said.

Meanwhile, Students of tertiary institutions and secondary schools in Ife North local government area of Osun State on Thursday staged a peaceful protest to register their grievances on the non-availability of power supply in the seven communities comprising of the local government.

Armed with placards and banners with different inscriptions that read: “Governor Oyetola, Come To Our Aid,” “IBEDC is Paralysing Our Economy in Ife North,” “We Say No To Darkness,” “IBEDC, Bring Back Our Light,” among others, the protesters led by Aduragbemi Ogunlola, urged the IBEDC to take urgent steps at restoring the electricity before it leads to mass mobilization for protest.

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