There was drama in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, over the weekend, as youths staged a massive protest against what they called “outrageous” electricity tariffs imposed by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC). The demonstration was uniquely led by two masquerades and brought major parts of the town to a standstill.
The protest erupted following IBEDC’s reclassification of the community from electricity Band C to the more expensive Bands B and A—resulting in a sharp increase in electricity bills. Some residents reportedly received March 2025 bills as high as N41,000 to N47,000, a far cry from the previous N10,000 to N15,000 range.
Chanting slogans and carrying placards, protesters blocked key roads including the Omu-Aran-Kabba and Omu-Aran-Otun-Ekiti highways, as well as strategic locations like Latinwo Market, the Olomu palace, and the IBEDC office at the City Complex.
In a joint statement, leaders of the Omu-Aran Development Association, Mr. Niyi Adeyeye and Elder Ranti Adebayo, outlined demands including immediate reversal to Band C, suspension of Band A billing, repair of faulty transformers, a return to previous tariffs, and an independent audit of IBEDC’s services in the town.
The protesters insisted on keeping the demonstration peaceful and refused police or security intervention.
Responding to the agitation, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti, urged the youths to remain calm. He assured them that discussions with IBEDC were already underway to address their grievances.
Meanwhile, the IBEDC Business Manager in Omu-Aran, Mr. A. O. Badmus, declined to comment, referring inquiries to the firm’s state communication officer, Mr. Gbenga Ajiboye. Ajiboye attributed the tariff change to guidelines from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), stating that communities with 20+ hours of daily power supply fall under Band A.
He confirmed ongoing talks aimed at resolving the standoff, calling it a commercial issue between consumers and service providers.
