In a dramatic show of resistance, two masquerades led hundreds of youths in a protest on Friday across Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, over the sudden upgrade of the community’s electricity billing regime from Band C to Band A.
The protesters, chanting war songs and wielding placards, gathered at the popular Bareke Roundabout before marching through major streets, including the Olomu Market, Latinwo Market Area, and the Olomu Palace. Their demonstration culminated at the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) District Office inside the Omu-Aran City Complex.
Some of the placards carried messages such as: “Omu-Aran Says No to Band A”, “Bring Us Back to Band C”, “Omu-Aran Youths Have Spoken Loudly”, and “Revert Omu-Aran to Band C”.
The protesters decried the steep increase in electricity bills for March 2025, which they attributed to the sudden transition to Band A — a classification typically assigned to areas receiving at least 20 hours of daily power supply. The youths claimed that most parts of Omu-Aran still suffer from erratic and inadequate electricity supply.
Speaking to reporters, the demonstrators stated that monthly charges had skyrocketed, with many households receiving bills between ₦41,000 and ₦47,000, compared to the previous ₦10,000 to ₦15,000 under Band C.
Rejecting any form of police escort during the protest, the youths blocked major highways connecting Omu-Aran to neighbouring states, including the Omu-Aran–Kabba and Omu-Aran–Otun Ekiti roads. The blockade caused heavy traffic and forced travelers to remain stranded for hours.
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In a statement signed by the President of the Omu-Aran Development Association, Niyi Adeyeye, the community outlined a list of demands aimed at restoring fairness and stability in power distribution and billing.
“Some of our demands include the replacement of faulty transformers that have led to inconsistent electricity supply in key areas of the town, the reversion from Band A to Band C, and the suspension of Band A billing,” the statement read.
“Other issues include an independent review of IBEDC’s service delivery in Omu-Aran, an immediate stop to overdraft purchases on prepaid meters, and an end to the practice of consumers purchasing materials to fix faulty power equipment,” it added.
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In response to the growing unrest, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti, received the protesters at his palace, where he urged them to remain calm and allow room for dialogue.
“The concerns of the youth are valid, and we, the community leaders, are already in talks with IBEDC to find a solution. I appeal to everyone to be patient as we pursue a peaceful resolution,” the monarch said.
The protesters, however, vowed to continue their demonstration until all grievances are adequately addressed by both IBEDC and local authorities.