In a dramatic display of protest, masquerades led a group of youths in Omu-Aran, located in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Friday, to express their displeasure over what they described as exorbitant electricity bills. The protesters were reacting to the sudden increase in the electricity billing regime, which saw their community moved from Band C to the more expensive Band A, resulting in high bills for the month of March 2025.
The protest began at Bareke Roundabout, where the youths gathered with placards bearing various inscriptions, chanting and dancing to war songs. Some of the placards read: “Omu-Aran Says No to Band A,” “Bring Us Back to Band C,” “Revert Omu-Aran to Band C,” and “Omu-Aran Youths Have Spoken Loudly.” The community members, particularly the youth, decried the sudden hike in the electricity billing, which they said had caused some residents to receive bills ranging from N41,000 to N47,000 for March 2025. This was a sharp increase from the previous rate of N10,000 to N15,000.
According to the protesters, the abrupt change in the billing category came with no prior notice and was compounded by several unresolved issues related to electricity supply. They pointed out that the community had been facing consistent challenges with unreliable power supply and faulty infrastructure before the billing shift occurred. The youths also expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of improvements in electricity distribution and the state of transformers in several parts of the community.
As the protest escalated, the youths moved through major streets of Omu-Aran, including the Olomu Market, Latinwo Market Area, and the Olomu Palace. The demonstration also saw them marching to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company’s District office located inside the Omu-Aran City Complex, where they raised their grievances with officials. In an effort to disrupt normalcy and gain attention, the protesters blocked key highways, including the Omu-Aran-Kabba and Omu-Aran-Otun-Ekiti highways, forcing motorists and travellers to endure hours of delays.
The protesters made it clear that they would not back down until their demands were met. Their demands, outlined in a statement signed by Niyi Adeyeye, the President of the Omu-Aran Development Association, included the reversal of the electricity billing from Band A back to Band C, replacement of faulty transformers, and an overall improvement in electricity supply. The statement also called for the suspension of the Band A billing regime and a review of the current electricity charges to align with the previous tariff. Other demands included an independent review of IBEDC’s service delivery in Omu-Aran, as well as the cessation of pre-paid meter overdrafts and the end of consumers being forced to buy materials for faulty electrical equipment.
In response to the protest, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti, met with the protesters at his palace. The monarch appealed for calm, assuring the youths that community leaders were already in discussions with IBEDC officials to address their concerns. He urged the protesters to remain patient and allow time for the resolution of the issues raised by the community leaders. Despite the appeal, the protesters remained firm in their resolve, vowing to continue their demonstration until a satisfactory solution was reached.
