Locals Rally Against IBEDC’s Refusal of Donated Transformer in Ogun

People living in the Oke-Eri area of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, took to the streets on Wednesday to voice their anger at the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company for turning down a transformer they had raised money to buy, saying it has left them in the dark for far too long.

The upset residents, who had scraped together funds to cover the cost of the equipment, blocked off the main road in front of the company’s office, waving signs and shouting chants to make their point clear. They feel the firm is dragging its feet on purpose, even though the community stepped up to help fix the power cuts that have plagued their homes for months.

One of the protesters, a local trader named Mrs Funmilayo Adebayo, told reporters that families had gone without electricity for over six months, making daily life a real struggle. “We couldn’t wait any longer, so we all chipped in to buy this transformer,” she said. “But now they say no, like our money and our suffering don’t matter. How can they do this to us?”

The trouble started back in April when the old transformer broke down, cutting off power to hundreds of households. Despite pleas to the company, nothing happened until the residents pooled their cash to get a new one. But when they delivered it, officials at the firm refused to hook it up, claiming it did not meet their standards or that extra steps were needed.

A spokesman for the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company explained that all gear must pass strict checks to ensure it is safe and up to code before it can be used. “We value what the community did, but we can’t just plug in anything,” he said. “It has to go through our tests to avoid risks like fires or shocks. We are working on a plan to sort this out soon.”

The standoff grew heated as protesters refused to budge, vowing to stay put until they got a firm promise. Local leaders stepped in to calm things down, and after hours of talks, the company agreed to take the transformer for inspection right away. The crowd only cleared the road once they had that in writing.

This clash points to bigger headaches with power supply in many parts of Ogun State, where firms like this one often face blame for slow fixes and high bills. Community groups say more such gifts from locals have run into the same roadblocks, leaving people frustrated and out of pocket. Officials from the state government have called for a quick meeting between the company and affected areas to stop these flare-ups from happening again.