Araromi-Okeodo, a community in Ife-South Local Government Area of Osun State, was ecstatic when electricity was finally brought to the town for the first time in 91 years.
At the weekend, a large number of the community’s residents came out to celebrate the development, with many of them dubbing it a “miracle of the century.”
Oba Abbas Akanbi, the Alara of Araromi-Okeodo and the town’s monarch, led his chiefs and subjects to the off-grid location of the 50 kilowatt sholep energy company that achieved the feat during its inauguration.
Oba Akanbi told reporters that he didn’t think a power supply would be possible during his lifetime.
“We have heard a number of tales about the community receiving power supplies that never happened, and when we learned about this solar power plant, we initially believed it to be yet another false promise, but as of right now, I am the most contented person on earth.
“As a token of our gratitude, we as a community will make sure the plant survives and protect it properly. We have no doubt that the neighborhood will continue to develop and grow.
The off-grid power plant will supply more than 700 homes, according to Sholep Energy Limited’s Managing Director, Engr Olalekan Adeleke. The project, worth several million naira, is being funded by the company in collaboration with the World Bank and the Federal Government’s Rural Electrification Agency, or REA.
Furthermore, the community will receive free access to a reliable water supply and 24-hour uninterrupted power from the mini-grid plant, the speaker said.
Adeyemi Festus, the energy commissioner for Osun State, revealed that the state is working with private investors to build additional power plants in the state in an effort to draw in investment. She added that Governor Ademola Adeleke would make sure the power plant had sufficient security.
