Kenny Folarin, Abuja
Consolidating on the many nights mare by residents of Igbokoda with endless hope to have a feel of government presence, Igbokoda, administrative headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State has been in total darkness for over 15 years.
While constant power supply remain a bedrock for development in any society, Igbokoda has not had a share of this despite her status as being home to notable sons and daughters in Nigeria, such as the current Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, Olushola Oke former governorship aspirant of the APC in Ondo State Ilaje Local government Area of Ondo State, Favour Tomomewo, Nigerian politician at the State Houses of Assembly level and Abayomi Akinruntan a Nigerian politician at the State Houses of Assembly level who currently serves as the State Representatives representing Ilaje I constituency at the State Legislature and a host of others to mention but a few.
For residents of Igbokoda, the appointment of men and women into political offices would have been a sigh of relief to them having constant power supply, hence they supported them with all they could, but suddenly woke up to the reality of dashed hope.
The traditional ruler of Igbokoda community in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Odidiomo Afolabi Oladimeji Ilarada I, Olu of Igbokoda in a interview with Nigerian Tribune lamented the power outage due to the cut off from the national grid which lasted for over 12 years with solutions not yet in sight despite promises by the regulatory agencies to ensure provision.
“We have been disconnected for 12 years! The law says if you are disconnected from the national grid for a particular period, you have the right to declare emergency on electricity, and added that if you declare emergency on electricity the community has the right to generate electricity for their own people. After waiting for 12 years, and after all efforts, we have made up our minds that our community will generate our own electricity. If it means using generators to supply electricity to our people, we will because the law allows it”.
“For eight years in my palace, I have been on generating sets. If I switch on electricity only at night, I spend N3,000 daily on fuelling and that does not include ironing my clothes and refrigeration etc. If I need to do those, I will need a minimum of N6,000 – 8,000 daily and this isn’t including cost or servicing and so on. N3,000 daily per month is about N90,000 per month on fuelling alone. Even if i pay BEDC N10,000 monthly i will still have a better electricity than what I’m currently having”.
Andrew Ikuesan, the Olubo of Obenla Kingdom, Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area, in a chat with ICIR also lamented the electricity challenge which has crippled commercial activities in the local government.
“The last time I set my eyes on light here was eight years ago. We don’t know where to go. I spend N75, 000 every month to power this palace. I don’t know what crime we committed here.”
Despite the cries of the residents of Igbokoda, government and most importantly sons and daughters of Igbokoda has neglected the town and residents and has continued living in their own luxuries.
