Ilugun-Itoko Community Appreciates Governor Abiodun for donating 500KVA Transformer

.. Appeals  for the  fixing of Kemta-Ilugun- Somorin Road.

  

For residents of Ilugun-Itoko Community and its adjoining communities which are within the precinct of Odeda Local government in Ogun State, it was excitements laced with joy as the present administration in Ogun  state under the leadership of Prince Dapo Abiodun recently donated a 500 KVA Transformer to solve the age-long epileptic electricity supply in the area. 

Residents of the Community,  a suburb of the Kemta Idi-Aba Housing Estate which also accommodates the World Renowned Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka had practically been living in darkness for more than eight years. This is due to the low capacity of the transformer of 300 KVA capacity which serves about eight communities, with no less than  20,000 residents. As a result of the low voltage usually supplied from the transformer year-in-year out, the situation of electricity supply in the area can be said to be abysmal. 

Respite however came the way of residents of the community which had waited with bathed breath for government’s attention for several years, as the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration, apparently as part of the celebration of its one year in office directed officials of the Bureau of Electrical  Services and Urban and Physical Planning to commence the process of installation of  a new transformer in the community. 

Residents of the community began to see sings of a good thing to come when officials of the Ogun State government under the relevant Minisries and agencies commenced the erection of electricity poles and mapping of the site for the citing of the new transformer. 

In less than a week to the appearance of the officials in the community, the Eagle eventually landed as a new 500KVA transformer berth in the community, courtesy of the Ogun State government. 

The excitements of the people of the  community,  including the young and the old since the arrival of the transformer had known no bounds as they continue to express joy and savour the excitement that come with the new addition to their community.

Chief Gbejeoniyi  Oladeinde Orobiyi who is the Baale of  Ilugun- Itoko Community, in an interview with The Business Package, spoke about the journey towards obtaining a new transformer for the community.

 ‘’It’s been a while since we’ve been experiencing the problem of poor electricity supply. As you can see, the community is expanding by the day and in the past few years, we’ve been having epileptic power supply’’.

When the problem became unbearable, Chief Orobiyi said the Community sought the help of Professor Wole Soyinka who is an integral part of the community

 ‘’ This made us to approach our father, Professor Wole Soyinka to help us facilitate the procurement of a new transformer by the Government. As God would have it, our request was granted through the grace of God. We thank our Governor for this gesture. This is because, within the last one month that we commenced the move, we have seen positive results. As I speak to you, officials of the state government are installing the transformer and new electric poles’’

In terms of communities enjoying the benefits of the new transformer, he said there are no less than eight communities, including Ilugun 1, Ilugun2, Ilugun3, Ifelodun, Surulere, Araromi and also Ifekowajo, Baabo, Ajangboun among others. 

Chief Orobiyi stated further, ‘’In terms of population, we should be talking about close to 20,000 inhabitants that are benefitting from this good gesture of Governor Dapo Abiodun’’

Expressing profound appreciation to the Governor of Ogun State , Prince Dapo Abiodun and his entire cabinet on the gesture, he said ‘’ If there is an opportunity to run the affairs of the state for three to four terms, I will say it authoritatively that the entire Ilugun-Itoko Community and its adjoining communities will queue behind Mr. Governor  and ask him to continue his stride as the Governor of the state’’

And like an Oliver Twist, the Community through the Baale said ‘’and, we are very optimistic that the Governor will do more. This is because, the road from Professor Wole Soyinka’s house up to Somorin is in a deplorable state and we are very optimistic that our Governor, the same way the administration constructed Fajol road will come to our aid soon.

He spoke on the advantages inherent in constructing the road " The advantage of constructing this road is to reduce traffic jam along Obantoko –Adatan-Osiele road, because this Ilugun-Kemta Idi-aba road which is in a deplorable condition is a major by-pass. But, on the donation of 500KVA  Transformer , we are most grateful to our indefatigable Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for the gesture and we are hoping that this road will soon receive government’s attention as well"

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According to him, his joy and that of the entire residents of the community as well as the adjoining communities  know no bound. He expressed his joy further ‘’If I would be allowed, I would love to go to the Governor’s Office to express our appreciation , rather on a daily basis, but the security operatives will not provide such opportunity. I want to assure the government that our people in Ilugun-Itoko Community will continue to be law -abiding and support government’s policies and programmes at all times’’

 Corroborating Chief Orobiyi, Mr. Gbadamosi Moruf, who is the Secretary of Ilugun- Itoko Communty Development Association, in Odeda Local government  area of Ogun State had this to say:

 ‘’I want to say that we are very happy for this government laudable intervention. We have cried out to the government and they’ve heard our cries, by giving us a transformer .The government itself is installing the transformer, spending all the money to energize the transformer. I can authoritatively tell you that the entire residents of Ilugun-Itoko and its adjoining communities are very happy and well pleased with the current administration. The capacity of the transformer is 500KVA which is bigger than the previous faulty one, which is 300 KVA’’

‘’I will advise our people to support this administration, because with our support, the government will be able to think straight and do what is right for the communities . We should not be lawless citizens;  we should follow the guidelines of the government in making the state a better place’’, Gbadamosi said 

Elder Timothy Somoye ,  the Chairman Ifelodun Community Development Association , an adjoining community to Ilugun-itoko Community and  part of the numerous communities  which would be enjoying  the electricity supply from the new transformer , also spoke to The Business Package , expressing his joy on the development.

Before expressing his appreciation to the present administration in the state on the gesture, he however,  narrated the ordeals the communities are facing  before the intervention of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration this way ‘’We have been facing lots of  problems, especially regarding the issue of electricity because the transformer we’ve been using before has a low capacity which  was not enough to power the entire community. So, as a result, we do have very low voltage of electricity most of the time. That has been the problem we’ve been facing since the year 2012 , but now that the Government of Ogun Satte through the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led  administration has intervened through the donation of a bigger and new transformer, we are very  excited. This is because; this transformer is heavier than the former one. This one is 500 KVA and obviously the capacity and generation  will be higher than the former one, so we are happy that our electricity supply will now be better and improved’’

On his advised to the people in terms of exhibiting support to the government, he said ‘’ I will advise the people that the government which listen to the problems of the masses, definitely the people should invariably listen to them. I will advise my people to support the government in all ramifications such as in the payment of taxes and in cleaning the environment, especially in this period of Covid-19, our people should adhered strictly to all the safety protocols’’

Also speaking, Mr. Oluwaseun Awolude, Chairman Baabo Community Development Association , another adjoining community to  Ilugun –Itoko Community also spoke about the problem hitherto experienced by the communities before the good gesture of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration.

‘’ The problems had been that of low voltage. We were all tired of the situation and some of our people are no longer interested in contributing towards electricity issues because they are fed up with the situation of things. We faced lots of problems and we were unable to even mobilize the people to contribute towards Community Development. But, respite came our way when the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun donated a 500 KVA transformer to replace the old 300KVA which is no longer functioning to capacity. We thank the Governor for this gesture and we pray for a resounding success for the current  administration in Ogun State’’