Ijegun’s Power Crisis: A Week Without Electricity Takes a Toll on Residents’ Lives and Livelihoods

The residents of Ijegun community are currently facing a dire situation as they have been without power for almost a week.

This blackout is not only affecting their daily lives but also their businesses, as shop owners and entrepreneurs struggle to keep their doors open without electricity.

The young people who rely on working online are also feeling the effects of the blackout, as they are forced to trek to the junction just to charge their phones. This is a stark contrast to the uninterrupted power supply that the community enjoyed during the festive season.

This reporter set out on a quest to uncover the reason for the blackout and find out when the residents of Ijegun can expect to have power restored.

“I am not surprised” – Mofetoluwa Babs, student.

One resident, Mofetoluwa Babs, stated that she is not surprised by the current blackout as the community at a time in the past did not seen consistent power supply for almost five years.

She suggested that perhaps it would be best for residents to save up and invest in a large generator to ease the burden during power outages.

“The blackout has made my job as a content creator difficult” – Osas Jimoh 

Another resident, Osas Jimoh, who recently moved into the area, expressed his frustration at the lack of power as it has hindered his ability to work online. He fears that this may lead to him losing his job as his employer may see him as unreliable.

The blackout has also led to a lack of basic amenities such as water, as residents are forced to walk down to the third street to access it. The noise pollution caused by the use of generators is also adding to the residents’ troubles.

Another resident, Ismail Garba, spoke of the constant battle between fresh air and mosquitoes as they are forced to leave their doors open at night to avoid suffocating in the hot weather.

The lack of power is also affecting the livelihoods of local business owners.

Urenna Kalu, a frozen food seller, shared her struggles in trying to preserve her goods without a reliable power supply.

She expressed her frustration at being unable to afford a large generator to power her freezer, resulting in her frozen foods such as fish, chicken, and turkey, often spoiling due to the erratic power supply.

Urenna’s story is a stark reminder of the real-life consequences that the lack of power can have on people’s lives and livelihoods. She, like many other residents, is calling on the government to take action and find a solution to the power crisis.

This reporter headed to the Ikeja Electric Undertaking Office in Ijegun, where an official, who preferred to remain anonymous spoke.

The official acknowledged the power outage, and explained that it was due to a technical challenge.

They assured that the team was working tirelessly to fix the issue and ensure that the residents of Ijegun would begin to enjoy uninterrupted power supply by Sunday.

Despite the challenges, the official’s words offered a glimmer of hope to the residents, who have been dealing with the consequences of the blackout.

As the official spoke, it was clear that the team at Ikeja Electric is determined to restore power to the community as soon as possible.

The residents of Ijegun are holding on to this assurance, and looking forward to the day when they can once again enjoy the comforts of electricity in their homes and businesses.