With gross darkness of biblical proportions having engulfed 21 communities in Yewa North LGA in Ogun State for more than three years, and with no respite in sight, Dangote Cement Ibese spiritedly stepped up to the plate with the procurement of electrical equipment worth about N100million to enable the reconnection of its host communities to the national grid.
The joy in the land was palpable as Dangote made the public donation. And this with the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC officials in attendance. In this story, while the IBEDC was not fully the villain, the company played the usual ‘siddon look’ bystander role while the people suffered. Equipment had been vandalized by unscrupulous elements. Maybe from within Yewa North, maybe from without. IBEDC was adamant. It would not replace what was forcibly taken away. Until the community, a community not exactly made up of high net worths could find a way to do the replacements themselves.
In all of this however, if we take a listen to Oba Lukman Kuoye, the Olu of Imasayi: “Dangote Cement is the only transformer that is illuminating the Yewa communities and Ogun State in general with its CSR projects”. This would mean that beyond and before this particular electrical equipment procurement, Dangote Cement had found other ways to be of value to the communities.
However, to prevent a recurrence of stories that touch the heart, Dangote Cement did its donation right at the Ibese Police Station with a full complement of security operatives present.
Roy Uttam, the Dangote Ibese Plant Director, advised the people to ensure the electrical installations are protected. Well protected.
He reminded them that Dangote Cement had invested millions of Naira to purchase the electrical materials in the spirit of good neighbourliness. And in a not-so-subtle dig at IBEDC, he said “…. it should be the job of the IBEDC to provide the materials as a business venture that would be collecting money from the customers after reconnecting them.”
What the community needed to do now, he said, was to make sure the electrical installations when installed are well protected. That really ought to go without saying. But no. Most communities are remiss in this duty. They are not vigilant enough. Their darkness is, a great many times, the result of their lack of vigilance. Uttam made sure to spell that out clearly. Dangote has done its part. The communities need to do their own bit now.
The other major party is the IBEDC. Seeing as it was present at the handover ceremony, the communities pressured it to do the reconnections quickly so that the darkness they had endured for so long would no longer be their lot. IBEDC promised to ensure reconnection in six weeks, maximum.
A number of the attendee dignitaries had their say about this darkness dispelling social investment by Dangote Cement, Ibese:
Olu of Imasayi, Oba Lukman Kuoye: “We thank God it is a reality today that we are on the way to getting reconnected to the national grid after over three years in darkness. We want to thank Dangote Cement Ibese Plant for this development. We are not taking this for granted.”
Oba Rotimi Mulero, The Aboro of Ibeseland: “Thanks to Dangote Cement and the Chairman, Aliko Dangote, for rising to the task of helping the communities always. The provision of the electrical materials would go a long way to further cement the existing cordial relationship between the company and the communities.” The Oba also made an iron clad promise on behalf of the communities to do everything possible to ensure the protection of the infrastructure post installation.
Hon. Adegoke Adeyanju, Member representing the Communities at the Ogun State House of Assembly: “I will take this back to the Speaker and other House members that Dangote has done as it has promised. We thank you, and let me also assure you that we will make sure that IBEDC plays its own part to give our people electricity.”
Roy Uttam: “We cherish living happily with our communities.” Enough said.
IBEDC made a commitment to ensure the communities are fully lit, national grid permitting, in no more than six weeks. They are the weak link in this story, unfortunately. Lots of Nigerians are in the dark because the DISCOs don’t do their job. They look always for the low hanging fruits guaranteed by the contracts with government that’s heavily skewed in their favour.
The DISCOs must do better. We are watching keenly to see how quickly IBEDC delivers on this so that the joy in Yewa North is not cut short
