Alaafin shuns ANED, IBEDC officials over power outage

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For plunging the people of Oyo town into darkness as a result of persistent power outage, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi
Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has shunned a courtesy visit paid him by officials of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED).
Also, gifts brought for the paramount ruler were rejected .
The delegation, which comprised of officials from Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), was in the ancient town for awareness and sensitisation of consumers.
Finding revealed that what makes the Alaafin’s palace more distinct than others are its largest built-ups, which comprise 24 big compounds.
 Investigation further revealed that the Alaafin’s palace is the
largest as it has in it over 200 buildings.
Due to continued power outage, the royal father spends huge amount of money every month to provide electricity to the palace.
 There are two diesel-powered one hundred and eighty KVA industrial
generators, in addition to medium-sized ones being used by the Ayabas
[monarch’s wives].
Furthermore, the unavailability of power supply has plunged the people
of the ancient town into untold hardships, as the artisans can no
longer work, while businesses are collapsing and life has become so
unbearable.
It was reliably learnt that all efforts by the monarch to seek
audience with the management of IBEDC on the situation were to no
avail.
Apparently, these prompted the decision by the Alaafin not to accord
befitting reception to the visitors who were jolted by the royal
action.
Some members of the Oyo Traditional Council were delegated to address
the visitors.
In his address full of lamentations, the Samu of Oyo, High Chief Lamidi Oyewale Fagbemi, described power failure in the country as a debilitating problem that needs be addressed, adding that the
envisioned growth of the economy cannot be achieved without improved
electricity supply.
He said poor power supply has contributed to the increase of prices of
consumer goods and services in the country, thereby affecting the
standard of living and thus placing the average citizenry of the
present day Nigeria in a pitiable condition.
Said he, ‘’you can imagine the devastating effects associated with
thousands of small businesses in the metropolis not having access to
uninterrupted power supply to run their businesses. Putting any one of
these businesses out of work at any given point in time, due to power
failure, has a direct impact on the growth and expansion of the
business, which in turn leads to unemployment, keeps wages low and
inability of the small scale business operators to sustain their
families’’.
Oyewale pointed out that no nation can achieve economic
development and industrialization without adequate and regular power
supply.
According to him, ‘’In Oyo town here, the story is the same
everywhere, whereby those who can to rely on generator sets to keep
businesses and establishments running. Power outage is affecting
everybody’s business. What of the crazy billings being served the
people without supply of electricity?. This is unacceptable to us here
in the ancient town and its environs’’.
The Samu of Oyo also berated the management of the IBEDC for being
irresponsive and disrespectful to the plight of the people and their
monarch, the Alaafin.
oduntan
In his response, Executive Director of the Association, Chief Sunday Oduntan, first apologised to the Alaafin and people of the town for hardships the power outage might have caused them.
Oduntan, who exonerated ANED from the continued outage, blamed low level of power generation for epileptic supply across the country.
” You cannot give what you do not have. It is from the inadequate generation that the power will be transmitted to us after which will
be distributed nationwide”.
While commending President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for its
pro-activeness and foresight in increasing the power generation
kilowatts, Oduntan pointed out in spite presently, power generation is
still a far cry compared to the large growing population.
He called for massive funding of the power sector by the Federal
Government as a major step to ameliorate hardships being encountered by
teeming impoverished citizens.
Oduntan, however, assured the paramount ruler, through members of the Oyo Traditional Council (Oyo Mesi) that all the complaints lodged will be thoroughly looked at and rectified.

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