Ogun community protests continuous power outages

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By Sola AJIBIKE (Abeokuta)

NIGERIA: RESIDENTS of Ijeja Stadium community in Abeokuta South Local Government of Ogun State have protested incessant protest power failure in their community.

The aggrieved residents, who were led by their community leaders, embarked on the peaceful protest within the community for no electricity in the last 18 months.

With placards and solidarity songs, they called on the government of Senator Ibikunle Amosun and other stakeholders to intervene before it gets too late.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards read ‘Ibadan Disco you have disappointed us,’ ‘Give us new transformer in Ijeja Stadium community,’ ‘Governor Amosun come to our rescue, look at our side,’ ‘We are tired of darkness,’ ‘No light no work,’ and ‘Save Ijeja community, save Ogun State from darkness.’

But, in their petition obtained by GatewayMail and jointly signed by community leaders – Community Chairman, Alhaji Dauda Olajide, , E.U Evbuomwam, Mr. S.O Sokoya, Chief Sunday Oluwole, Deacon Michael Adeleke, Mr. Segun Lasile, Chief Adeboye, Mr. Adewale Adenuga and the Community Secretary, Mrs. Somoye, the aggrieved members of the community said that “we are compelled by the horrible and hopeless situation that our community has been subjected to for the past18 months to write to your office for a redress.”

They stressed: “Ijeja community which shares immediate neighborhood with Ogun State Government House, Isale Igbein has been without light for the past eighteen months since the 500KVA (11,000V) Transformer serving the community broke down irreparably in March 2016.”

They explained that they had written several letters to Amosun, the Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District, Prince Lanre Tejuosho, and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc (IBEDC) to get a replacement for the broken down transformer, but all to no avail.

“In May 2016, we sighed a feeling of relief when we were told that a 300KVA (11,000V) transformer has been earmarked for our community and would be brought soon.  In June, the transformer was brought and people who brought it demanded the sum of one million naira before they can install it,” they said.

“We requested for the source, but they didn’t disclose it to us, but insisted to collect the one million naira,” they alleged, adding further: “It took wisdom and intervention of elders before they were persuaded to complete the installation.”

They further said: “We approached the regional manager Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company to come to our aid.  He told us to inform the Zonal Head Electricity Service Agency (NESA) at the Federal Secretariat Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

“After meeting with later – (Eng. Oyegunle), he directed us to meet with the Rural Electrification Authority, Osogbo in Osun State that he said was responsible for the transformer brought to our community.

“Meeting with Engr. Owoyemi Ademola, the zonal head (REA) Osogbo, we explained all our problems to him, he insisted we should do something if we want the transformer to be energized, promising that as soon as we make the payment he would implore the contractors to energize it.

“The elders of the community met and raised the sum of hundred thousand naira (N100, 000) which they transferred through his agent Mr. Emmanuel Uchrnna with First Bank Account No: 3083207508 to Engr. Owoyemi Ademola which he confirmed the receipt and promised to call on the contractors for energizing.”

However, Evbuomwan told GatewayMail: “On November 17, 2017 the contractors came in company of two engineers from IBEDC Idi-Ori to energize the transformer, we were later told after series of tests on the transformer that the transformer is a refurbished one and it’s bad, it cannot serve our purpose within the community.

“The response we got from the contractor that day, made it clear to us that the hope of getting electricity in our community this year might not be possible.

“Ijeja Stadium Community Ibara has been short-changed by some unrepentant Nigerians who continued to commit crime against humanity and are out to destroy the good work of the President Buhari-led administration with impunity.”

“The contractors have been paid, money has been hands to hands and our community is still left without light.  We are crying for help,” Evbuomwan said.

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