By Ayodele Abere
Residents of Alafiatayo community near Tosin-Aluko garage area of Ado-Ekiti, comprising Igirimo Community, Central Zone, Zone 3 and Oke- Alafia Zone, who have been in total darkness since October last year, have appealed to the State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, and the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele to urgently look into their plight and salvage their situation.
They made the appeal on Sunday, carrying placards with different inscriptions to press home their demand.
Speaking with journalists, one of the Landlords in the area, Mr. Olukayode Jegede, Chairman, Alafiatayo Zone, said the experience has not only been stressful but painful, living without electricity supply for the past six months.
Jegede explained that the four communities affected by the ugly development have been using communal efforts to put some things in place before now but said the burden is too much for them to bear this time around due to the current economic situation.
In his word, “when the transformer spoilt last year, we were in total darkness. We tried to come together as usual to see what we could do but the load is too heavy for the community to bear taking to consideration what we have been contributing before”.
“We are now appealing to the government of Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji. We know that the load is equally much for him. But being the people-oriented governor, he has been trying across the state, and we know that he cannot overlook the population of the people in these affected communities.
“We are begging, we are soliciting and we are appealing to him to come to our aid to safe us from this darkness. We are not blind but we are in darkness because we don’t have electricity. Without electricity, there’s nothing we can do economically, socially and politically. We are already out of the system.
He said some people around the area who knew some of them to be pro government have been castigating them, saying “we are suffering in spite of our closeness to the government”.
Another landlord, Mr. Adebola Ayegbusi, Chairman, landlords’ Association, Girimo Zone, and representative of the Chairman, Zone 3, Mr. Tanimowo Temitope both commended Governor Oyebanji and Senator Opeyemi Bamidele for the marvellous things they are doing in the State.
However, they explained that it could be said that they have been marginalised in terms of dividends of democracy in the area by not enjoying the facilities like electricity, water and good road being enjoyed by other communities in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital.
On his part, Prince Ademola Aderltola, said the issue has really affected the people of the environment, particularly those running businesses. Noting that buying fuel these days to power generating set for some electrical gadgets without electricity has not been all that easy.
He said the community leaders have taken good steps by calling on the compassionate Governor Biodun Oyebanji and the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly to help.
“These two people are enough for us to give us a brand new 500KVA brand new transformer that will be able to serve the affected four communities better”. The Prince maintained.
Other residents, lady Evangelist Yemi Ariibi, Princess Adeyemi Aderibigbe and Mrs Bukola Odudele who are businesswomen explained that their businesses have been adversely affected by the development as their customers prefer cold drinks especially during this hot weather, and that buying ice blocks to cool the drinks has been gulping much from them ever since the transformer has spoilt.
Adding that most of them took loans to run their businesses. They said if there’ are no sales, that it would be difficult for them to pay back the loans.
The residents therefore unanimously promised paying back with their vote for the governor’s second term come 2026 if this could be done for them.