• kids born here know only lights from candles, touch, lamps…

Joseph EMERIBE

Residents, landlords and business owners in Adunbarin, Irewolede (Popularly called Teachers Village) and Afenifere, of Kere Aje, neighbors to Ilorin Technical College (ITC), in Ilorin South Local Government Area, lament persistent blackouts despite spending close to 10 million Naira.

According to the communities, public power supply is alien to them and letters have been written on several occasions to government and relevant authorities to no avail.

After several pleas and pressure, I visited these communities on Sunday, the 23rd of June, 2024 to see for myself the state of things most especially with respect to its existence for over 10 years without public power supply.

Upon visiting the community, from the very junction linking the communities to the Okolowo Expressway, are three power cables standing firm and still looking brand new on concrete poles numbering about 48 and a 500 KVA Transformer but yet to be connected to the national grid.

Concrete Poles with power cables from Okolowo Junction to sister Communities of Adunbarin, Irewolede (Popularly called Teachers Village) and Afenifere, of Kere Aje, awaiting electrification

The Chairman of Adunbarin Community- Alh. Muhideen Ibrahim, while speaking on behalf of members of the community, lamented the outright neglect of government with respect to basic amenities, adding that for over 10 years of the existence of the community “no light”.

“We are three communities. We have Adunbarin, Irewolede popularly called Teachers Village and Afenifere Community, for the past 10 to 15 years since we built our houses here we have had electricity supply since we moved into our various houses, in the three communities. 

But for the help of philanthropist among us, they were the one who donated poles, wires, and others for us to get access to electricity, our efforts to meet through the state government however proved abortive since that time we have been meeting with government officers we have written to his Excellency himself to Energy Commission and the Rural Electrification Commission with the state but all our efforts was abortive” Alh. Muhideen, added.

Alh. Abdulfatai Bolakale and Abdulfatai Imam, both representatives of Afenifere and Teachers Village respectively, in their reaction noted that the prevalent darkness in the community exposes them to security threats, appealing to government to come to their aid

“When we all reach here, particularly me myself I have used more than 15 years here and when we firstly reach here everywhere was bushy but today if we make a count of all household it more than thousand and for the start our problem has been the issue with electrification, we tried our best and collectively the money we the three community had spent is more than 9 million naira, some philanthropist donated poles and a single person donated about 48 high tension poles and another donated a high tension cable wire so the community levy each other to a point we could not eat just to make sure to make installations”- words of Chairman Afenifere Community, Alh. Abdulfatai Bolakale.

“Do you know that some of our kids here don’t know what a public power supply looks like? The lights they’re used to are candle light, lamps and reflections from car headlights. We’ve tried all within our means, and the only thing we need the government help with is installation and energizing of the 500 KVA Transformer” added Mr. Abdulfatai Imam who spoke sorrowfully.

500KVA Transformer donated by former governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulfatah Ahmed

A community advocate and public affairs analyst who is also a landlord in the area- Dr. Hadi Moshood, on his part said the communities have provided everything humanly possible for power but are quite handicapped at the moment, as they are still languishing in darkness.

“In fact, I am short of words. We, members of these communities are villagers in the city. People won’t believe that we are in Ilorin, Ilorin South, Akanbi Ward 5. We just need someone to come rescue us from this quagmire of persistent blackout, by energizing this power infrastructure then we praise the person” Dr. Hadi added.

Imam Fatimoh, who sells fruits at Eleshin, in Irewolede, called for government’s assistance as the issue with light has negatively impacted on business activity in the area. 

“Please our roads are bad, we are facing issues with the lack of electricity and water. May God bless the government always.

Another trader named Hajia Halimat Alenigboro, who is in the business of  processed fish said she limited her business to majorly smoked fish.

In her words: “I am the worst hit in terms of business in this area because as much as I really wish to venture into perishables like; mackerel, chicken and turkey, I am handicapped as no power here to keep them fresh ”  

While political parties in Kwara State gears up for the local government polls scheduled for the 21st of September this year, the Commissioner for energy, Engr. Abdulazeez Abdulganiy, acknowledged receiving letters from the communities, stressing that it’s the duties of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to see to the purchase and installation of electric infrastructure, adding that the three communities are not the only ones having this issue in the state.

“The government of AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq is aware of the plights of residents in this area and working tirelessly to address the issue and we’ve written as a ministry to IBEDC on the matter to know the best way to intervene for electricity to be installed in communities not limited to the ones mentioned” said Engr. Abdulazeez.

In reaction, the spokesperson for Kwara State Office of IBEDC, Mr. Ajiboye Gbenga, who gave assurance of finding a solution to the issue, advised that the communities reach-out to IBEDC’s business hub in Babokko, Ilorin .

Here is a copy of one of the letters written by one of the communities to government on the matter: