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From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Angry residents of several Osogbo communities on Wednesday gathered at the regional office of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to protest what they described as a persistent, unstable power supply that is crippling businesses and daily life in the Osun State capital.
Protesters from Owo‑Eba, Ilesa‑Garage, Tara, Oke‑Baale axis, OSBC Area, Uniosun axis, Akede, Air Force Base, Army Depot, Boredun, Coker, Odu and Omu gathered at Oke‑Baale Roundabout before marching nearly three kilometres to the IBEDC office on Station Road. They carried placards with slogans such as “We can’t be paying for darkness,” “Our businesses are dying,” and “Bring back our light.”
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Mr Badmus Akeem said the situation deteriorated after their areas were downgraded from Band A to Band C under the band classification system. He alleged that since the reclassification, residents now receive as little as four hours of electricity a day, far below the minimum 12 hours expected for Band A communities.
“The impact of this epileptic power supply has been devastating. Residents are experiencing severe hardship, small‑scale businesses are on the verge of collapse, and corporate institutions are significantly affected,” Akeem said.
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He also raised suspicions — which he said residents could not independently verify — that supply earmarked for their communities was being diverted and sold elsewhere.
The protesters gave IBEDC seven days to restore their communities to Band A, warning of lawful collective action if their demands were not met.
IBEDC’s regional manager, Mr Ifeanyi Ikeji, responded that the company would not rule out returning the areas to Band A but urged caution, saying a decision must factor in generation shortfalls that limit supply to end users.
He also pointed to a high number of unmetered customers as an obstacle to Band A reinstatement and urged residents to procure meters to meet the 90 per cent metering requirement for Band A classification.
The standoff highlights mounting frustration among consumers over unreliable power and raises renewed calls for improved generation, accurate metering and greater transparency from distribution companies.
