By: Hon Comrade James Onifade
Osogbo, the capital of Osun State and a historic city once celebrated for its reliable electricity supply, is fast becoming a shadow of its former self. For years, the erratic power situation in Osogbo and surrounding communities such as Ede, Ikirun, Ilesa, and Ilobu has been the talk of the town. What was once a source of pride where residents enjoyed consistent light for days on end has now turned into an unbearable ordeal. The frequent blackouts, sudden voltage fluctuations, and prolonged darkness are no longer occasional inconveniences; they have become a daily nightmare that threatens livelihoods, education, healthcare, and the overall quality of life.
We remember the “good old days” when Osogbo was among the better-served areas under the old NEPA/PHCN regime and even in the early years of IBEDC’s operations. Businesses thrived, students studied late into the night without fear of sudden darkness, hospitals ran life-saving equipment without panic, and families could preserve food and enjoy basic comfort.
Those days are gone. Today, many households and small-scale enterprises spend more on diesel and petrol generators than on actual electricity bills. The cost of running generators is skyrocketing with fuel prices, yet IBEDC bills continue to arrive with shocking regularity — often for power that was never supplied.
The impact is devastating and multi-dimensional:
• Economic losses: Markets in Oja Oba, Igbona, and Alekuwodo are forced to close early. Tailors, welders, barbers, and computer business owners lose productive hours daily. Cold rooms for fish and meat sellers have become liabilities instead of assets.
• Education and youth development: Students preparing for WAEC, JAMB, and university exams study by candlelight or phone torches. Many have resorted to “generator hours” that are noisy, expensive, and dangerous.
• Healthcare emergency: Private clinics and even some government facilities struggle with power outages during surgeries, deliveries, or when incubators and oxygen machines are needed. The risk to human lives is real and unacceptable.
• Security concerns: Dark streets have emboldened criminals. Street lights that once made Osogbo feel safe are now monuments to neglect.
This is not a sudden crisis. Residents have endured this decline for years, complaining through every available channel — social media, town hall meetings, letters to the Osun State Government, and direct complaints to IBEDC customer care. Yet the response has been painfully slow: vague promises of “upgrades,” “load shedding adjustments,” and “ongoing projects” that never translate into stable light for the people.
We are particularly dismayed by the so-called Service-Based Tariff bands, especially Band A and the various other categories. It is widely regarded among residents and increasingly echoed across Nigeria as nothing but a scam.
Customers classified under Band A pay premium tariffs with the promise of up to 20 hours or more of daily supply, yet many in Osogbo and environs receive far less, often barely meeting even basic expectations.
The banding system creates unfair divisions, where one part of the community or feeder might enjoy relatively better supply at the expense of others. This is unacceptable. We will no longer tolerate any narrative that pits one area against another in terms of electricity access. After all, we only pay for what we use unlike in other countries where citizens pay a fixed monthly rate, enjoy uninterrupted service throughout the month, and receive prior notification if any disruption is anticipated due to maintenance or faults.
Enough is enough.
We, the people of Osogbo and its environs, are hereby issuing this public address to the Managing Director and entire leadership of IBEDC:
1. Immediately commence a comprehensive technical audit of the Osogbo feeder and all associated substations within the next 14 days.
2. Publish a clear, time-bound roadmap (with specific dates) for the rehabilitation of transformers, replacement of faulty conductors, and reduction of commercial and technical losses in our area.
3. Ensure at least 18–20 hours of stable supply daily across Osogbo and environs, as was the norm in the not-too-distant past, while we await the promised national grid improvements without discriminatory banding that disadvantages some communities.
4. Stop the unjustified estimated billing that punishes residents for power they never received, and abolish the deceptive practices associated with the current banding system that fails to deliver promised service levels.
5. If IBEDC is unable or unwilling to handle its responsibilities effectively and deliver reliable power to all customers fairly, then hand over operations to a capable entity that can serve us better.
We are reasonable people. We understand the challenges of the national grid. We are willing to pay our bills promptly when power is delivered. But we will no longer accept darkness as our normal, nor will we continue to pay for services not rendered.
Let this open letter serve as a final warning and a sincere appeal. If concrete, visible, and measurable improvements are not recorded within the next 30 days, the residents of Osogbo and environs through their lawyers and civil society groups will have no other choice but to initiate legal action. We will approach the courts, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and every relevant authority to seek redress, including compensation for years of economic losses and violation of our right to quality service.
The people of Osogbo have been patient. That patience is now exhausted.
We await your urgent and decisive response. The light we once enjoyed must return not as a privilege, but as the basic right it is supposed to be.
E-signed: Hon Comrade James Onifade
Advocate for Good Governance and A Better Judicial System
