Ibadan Community Protest 8 Year Power Supply Black Out

Imagine being in darkness for 8 years! That’s the plight of the residents of Lalupon community in Ibadan, Oyo state.

The residents, however, have had enough as they have reportedly taken to a peaceful protest over the 8 year power supply blackout.

In rather unfortunate circumstances, the people of Lalupon community in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital,are forced yesterday to stage a sit-out protest against the Federal Government, in order to create awareness of their sufferings to the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, the Oyo State government and the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) for eight years of blackout.

The protesters, in Lagelu Local Government Area of Ibadan include senior citizens, elders, community leaders, traders, artisans, market men and women and children, sat in the sun for more than six hours at the entrance to the community town hall.

One can only wonder why nothing has been done to savage the already deteriorated situation despite their patience over the last eight years as the protesters, carried placards with various inscriptions, such as:

“IBEDC is cheating us in Lalupon, Ibadan, Lalupon/Iwo Road Feeder”; “No light in Lalupon community since 2014”; “We say no to darkness in Lalupon feeder”; “We say no to estimated bills on Lalupon Feeder”; “We can’t pay for what we don’t use”; “We are tired of paying our neighbours’ bills”; “They are using the electricity and we are paying their bills” and “We need prepaid metres to avoid cheating.”

Addressing reporters, Chairman of the association Rev. Jide Kehinde said the heart of the matter was the transformer donated to the community over seven years ago but had not been activated.