In 2003, Apara, a town in Atakunmosa West Local Government of Osun State State, was plunged into darkness after the transformer serving the community was carted away. Two decades after, the affected the community has been badly impacted, forcing businesses to shut down, families to relocate, and those left behind to navigate a daily struggle for survival.

Seventeen-year-old Monday Isaya has lived his entire life in darkness. Born and raised in Apara, a town in Osun State, Monday says he has never had the opportunity to say “Up NEPA”, the popular phrase Nigerians use to express excitement when electricity is restored after a prolonged blackout.

The community once had a transformer, but it was stolen 22 years ago. Since then, criminals have taken advantage of the situation, stripping the area of critical infrastructure.

“After the transformer was stolen, people started removing cables, pipes, pumping machines, and even building materials. They came before the property owners notice and took everything,” Monday explained.

Monday told The ICIR that the lack of electricity has driven people away, leaving the area sparsely populated.

“Skilled workers like welders and aluminium fabricators, who once thrived here, have abandoned their businesses. They couldn’t continue without electricity, so they left,” he said.

Monday’s plight mirrors the situation of other residents in the Apara community who have been living in darkness for two decades. They are one of the 86 million Nigerians who were estimated to be without access to electricity in Nigeria, according to a joint report by multiple international agencies.

In October 2023, during a retreat, President Bola Tinubu said about 90 million people in Nigeria do not have access to electricity.

He said, “The national grid only serves about 15 per cent of the country’s demand. This has left households and factories to rely on expensive self-generation, which supplies a staggering 40 per cent of the country’s demand.

In addition, the Nigerian Electricity Report of Q2 OF 2024 indicated that only 12.99 million customers in Nigeria have access to electricity. A customer here can refer to a household which has an average of 5 individuals.

The quality of life of a large number of Nigerians is greatly affected by the lack of access to electricity. Imagine waking up to a stifling heatwave with no fan to cool you, struggling to preserve food without a refrigerator, or stepping out in wrinkled clothes because you couldn’t iron them. The people of the Apara community don’t have to imagine because life in perpetual darkness is their daily reality.

The Genesis

Twenty two years ago, a transformer which once powered the Apara consisting of Ifowosowopo and Temitope communities, was stolen, plunging the community into an electricity crisis. Since then, residents have struggled with basic needs that depend on electricity, forcing many to relocate to places where power is more stable.

Efforts to restore electricity have been met with frustration. Several letters have been sent to government officials, commissioners, and elected representatives, pleading for intervention. Despite promises, no concrete action has been taken.

The community has tried to live with the situation, purchasing wooden poles and electric cables to show its commitment. However, the major obstacle remains—the transformer.

The lack of electricity has crippled businesses and daily life. Skilled workers have abandoned the community in search of better opportunities, leaving behind a struggling local economy. Welders, frozen food vendors, and other traders who rely on electricity have either shut down or relocated.

Simple conveniences, like buying a cold drink, require a long journey to nearby towns. Women hoping to start small businesses are left with limited options, as many trades require electricity to function effectively.

In response to these challenges, some residents have turned to alternative energy sources like solar panels and mini lamps. However, these solutions are not enough to meet the needs of the entire community. Rising fuel prices have also made generators unsustainable, leaving many households to ration their power usage. With limited access to electricity, even basic tasks like charging mobile phones or preserving food have become difficult.

Security implication

Beyond economic struggles, security has become a growing concern. Darkness has made the community vulnerable to theft and criminal activities. In the absence of streetlights, thieves have taken advantage of the situation, forcing residents to organise vigilante groups for protection. The community has seen cases of stolen property, and while some culprits have been identified, the lack of funds to hire professional security has left them exposed to further threats.

Living in darkness  

Life in Apara village, has been anything but easy for 37-year-old woman known as Mutiatu, a mother of four. Moving to the area five years ago, she never imagined how much the absence of electricity would affect every aspect of her family’s life.

“When I had my last baby, the situation was terrible,” she began adding, “There were so many mosquitoes that even using a net didn’t help. And the heat was too much for the baby.”

The conditions soon took a toll on her child’s health, leading to frequent trips to the hospital.

“I spend extra money almost every month for anti-malaria drugs,” she said, frustration evident in her voice. “It’s a lot for us because my husband can’t afford solar power. We have to rely on charged accessories from the city to get by.”

Their original plan of starting a business from home had also been derailed by the lack of electricity. “We had hoped I could sell things at home to support the family, but without light, it’s impossible. I feel completely stranded,” she said.

“There was a time we had light here,” recalled Grace John, one of the residents of the community. “But one morning, we woke up, and the transformer was gone. Even the connection cables were carted.” The theft marked the beginning of years of darkness that the community has struggled to overcome.

Grace said they reported to politicians who visited the area. “We told them we needed electricity and boreholes. They brought some machines, but they’re just sitting there. We don’t even know who brought them or what will happen next,” she explains.

Another resident, Balqees Agboola , said she had been in Apara for just a year. After moving to the community, she began to sell soft drinks beside her makeshift kiosk.

“In Osogbo where I was initially, it was easier to buy and store ice blocks for my drinks. But here, it’s like starting all over again. There’s no electricity, so I have to depend on buying ice blocks from the next town, which adds to my costs and reduces my profit.”

Agboola noted that apart from the lack of electricity, insecurity has been a persistent challenge. “When I first came here, I heard stories about thieves breaking into shops and homes. At first, I didn’t believe it, but one night, someone tried to break into my kiosk. Thankfully, they didn’t succeed because we had just started a night patrol in the area. Still, I’ve lost some things to theft—money, drinks, and even the little lamp I use at night to light up the shop.”

“It’s not just me. A lot of us are struggling to make ends meet here. There are welders and tailors in this area who can’t work because there’s no power. Some have left the community entirely to look for better opportunities. It’s as if the government doesn’t even know we exist. We feel abandoned.”

Blackout fuels safety concerns

Mistura Okunola, 57, has seen more than her share of hardship in the Ifowosowopo  community, Apara village, where she has lived for the past eight years. A mother of six and a trader, she has lived for over two decades without electricity.

“What I heard is that the blackout started after the transformer was stolen,” she explained. “It happened during a festive season, about 22 years ago, when people in the village had travelled for the holidays. By the time they returned, the transformer was gone.”

Since then, darkness has defined life in Apara, creating discomfort and security risks. Mistura recounted a frightening experience of being unable to return home one night. “My burglaries were broken into, and thieves used the opportunity to steal my cooking gas and other kitchen materials,” she said, her voice heavy with frustration.

The community has since relied on local security personnel, but the lack of electricity has made their work more difficult. “The darkness has worsened insecurity here,” Mistura added. “Even transportation is a problem. Bike and cab drivers refuse to come to Apara at night because of the risks.”

For Lateefat Soliu, a 38-year-old mother of six, the five years she has spent living in Apara have been marked by struggles tied to the village’s persistent blackout.

“One evening, I was coming back from town on a bike,” she recounted. “The bike man dropped me inside the village, but on his way out, armed robbers stopped him, took his bike, and even injured him. Since that day, we don’t stay outside later than 6 p.m. If you don’t have a car, you might not make it home.”

Like many others in the community, Lateefat relies on neighbours who use mini solar power to charge their phones and lamps. “I don’t have solar because I can’t afford it,” she said, noting how much the lack of electricity has disrupted her trade.

“I used to sell from home,” she explained. “But now, because there’s no light, I have to go to town to sell. Sometimes I can’t go, and that leaves me hungry.”

Thirty five -year-old Kafilat Akintayo, who has been living in Apara for 12 years recalled how her husband’s block moulding machine was stolen in the middle of the night.

“What made it easy for the criminals was the darkness,” she believes. “Since then, our finances haven’t been stable.”

The absence of electricity has also caused serious difficulties in times of emergency. “When I was about to give birth, it was in the middle of the night. The hospital I used is in Owode Osogbo, and we had to walk there,” she said.

“My husband tried to call a bike man, but he refused to come because of the darkness in our community. It was one of our neighbours that later helped us out.”

Community leaders seek intervention

The chairman of Temitope community in Apara village, Adetunji Adebayo Ojo, shared the community’s struggles with a prolonged electricity outage that has lasted for over 20 years.

“We can’t continue living without electricity,” Ojo lamented. “Since we arrived here, there has been no electricity. Many of those who were here before, especially the elderly, have relocated to places where there is light.”

Ojo explained that the lack of a transformer was the main reason for the outage, and despite multiple efforts, the community had been unable to secure a replacement.

“The transformer is the major cause,” he said. “We have struggled to buy one, but we aren’t capable. We have written letters to the government, but there has been no response.”

“Many skilled workers have left this community and this village. If we want to buy cold drinks, if we don’t reach Ilesha garage, we won’t be able to get it. We even want to empower our wives but they need electricity for their businesses. Social amenities aren’t functioning, and those selling frozen foods, have no electricity to help them thrive in their businesses.”

He added that several government officials, including Ganiy Ayobami Ola-Oluwa, the Commissioner for Rural Development; Sanmi Àrè Oyè, the local representative in the House of Assembly; and Governor Ademola Adeleke, had been contacted, but no action had been taken.

On his part, Iwa Lesin, the Vice Chairman of Temitope community, narrated the struggles and challenges faced by his subjects due to the lack of electricity.

When he arrived in the area roughly five years ago, the community had already been battling the absence of electricity for many years. Though a transformer once existed in a part of the village known as Oju Aba, the village has since expanded, and the transformer has long been defuncted.

To address the problem, the community took steps, including contacting government officials and media outlets such as Rays FM. However, despite their efforts, they received only promises.

Residents began contributing money—₦20 or ₦40 at a time—to erect wooden poles, hoping to demonstrate their commitment to solving the issue.

“The government kept promising us that the transformer was coming, but till now, we’ve received nothing. We just keep praying for God’s guidance,” Iwa Lesin lamented.

He narrated how people struggled to operate businesses like welding or selling cold drinks, and even basic needs like charging devices have become burdensome.

In response to the rise in crime, the Iwa Lesin said the community had organised night patrols to guard their homes and businesses, noting that financial constraints and mistrust have prevented them from hiring professional hunters for additional security.

“Our efforts have brought some peace, but we’re managing. To pay for hunters is another burden we can’t afford. May God continue to protect us,” Iwa Lesin said.

In Nigeria, Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) are officially responsible for supplying, installing, and maintaining transformers as part of their infrastructure to distribute electricity to consumers. Nigeria has 11 DisCos, each covering different regions. Apara community being a community in Osun is under the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company.

Speaking with The ICIR, the Spokesperson of IBEDC in Osun State, Kiki Owoeye promised that the company will look into the matter.

“At IBEDC, a key part of our business goal is to ensure excellent service delivery and as such we focus on the unserved and underserved communities within our franchise. Therefore, for communities like Apara, we are looking at ways to ensure they are serviced,” she said.

When contacted, the Osun State Commissioner of Energy, Festus Adeyemo, told The ICIR that the ministry was not aware of the community’s situation and promised to investigate the matter.