The Abodi of Ikale, His Royal Majesty, Oba George Babatunde Faduyile bares his mind on issues bordering on the development of Ikale Land, the perennial Power outage in the land and other sundry matter in this interview with
Steve Ovirih.
Thepolity.net : Not quite few weeks ago, NMA chose Ikoya as their pilot point for the physician week . What’s your take on the NMA’s visit to your domain?
Abodi, Oba George Faduyile: We had appreciated the choice of Ikoya for the Nigeria Medical Association’ physician week. They were here for two days and they did a great deal of job. We all sincerely appreciate their noble contribution. Of course , we are not unaware of the fact that the choice of Ikoya was made because the President of NMA in Nigeria, Dr. Dayo Faduyile, is from Ikoya here. We thank them for choosing here and appreciate that worthy recognition. The program went smoothly and successfully , so many of our people took advantage of the free Medical check and surgery. We feel so proud that one of our sons here at Ikoya made this heavy presence of Physicians possible in our midst at Ikoya, the cradle of Ikale Land.
Thepolity.net : How will you assess the health facility in your domain? Will you say you have enough of government presence as regards health facility at Ikoya?
Abodi, Oba George Faduyile : The assessment of the health facility in Ikoya shows that the health facility here is very poor. There is only one basic health center in Ikoya , yet it is not enough to attend to the health challenges of our people; moreover the facilities are just not there! Patients have to pay to get drugs and the majority who cannot afford it resort to native treatment. Sad enough, many of our people do not have the wherewithal to pay bills at the health center. Government presence as regards health facilities here is very low and unencouraging.
Thepolity.net : For some time now Kabiesi, the entire Ikale Land and adjoining communities of Ikale and Apoi have not enjoyed electricity supply. There have been snippet of information to the effect that there will be light; hope have been raised and dashed. What’s your take on this issue? Is this how the Land will continue to endure abject darkness?
Abodi, Oba George Faduyile : Thank you Steve. You see this issue is a very touchy one I have been trying to avoid because long hope without fulfillment wearies the soul. I am not looking forward to having electricity supply anytime soon not because of any other thing other than the enormity of the problem and because of the challenges created by the electricity distribution company, BEDC.
The cooperation we we solicited has not been forthcoming and the facilities needed to make sure light go round is simply not there. So you see, it looks like we are resigning to our fate. It sounds grim but there may not be electricity supply in the nearest future.
People are craving for solar energy , to at least have a ray of light in their houses but it is very expensive. Even at that, solar energy isn’t as powerful as electricity and can’t really power some facilities but at least its flood of light takes away the darkness. Those who have bought into the idea of solar energy as an alternative to electric power supply are no doubt enjoying it, only that the cost of its procurement is relatively on the high side for the generality of the people
We really wish the suppliers of solar energy can reduce the cost so that so many people can have access to its consumption and so that from its supply people can have succor from the electricity that our people have been so blatantly denied by BEDC over the years.
We want to appreciate the government through the Director of Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Eng.Ife Oyedele who has been connecting the broken down poles and the electric lines and has been providing transformer in some places in the old Okitipupa division. But the rate at which it is provided is not such that we can get light through the entire landscape within a reasonable time frame ; the cost of debt payment which BEDC is expecting our people to remit to its coffers is so huge that if that remains a condition for the Land to be returned to the electricity grid , then to get light for our people and use it as we had before the outage some six years ago may not come to fruition anytime soon.
Electricity supply, I am sorry, it may not be a commodity we may lay claim to in a foreseable future.
Thepolity.net : That is a very strong one sir. But to fast track the process of returning electricity to Ikale, is there any concerted effort that stakeholders can embark on?
Abodi, Oba George Faduyile : There had been concerted efforts not only by Ikales but the whole Local Government Areas making up Ondo south senatorial district. We have met several times; in fact, we wanted to create a community based electricity supply base . We have got some agents who showed readiness to partner with us. We had even resolved on how we are to sort out payment on installment basis which will be very easy and affordable for the people, the end users. But we couldn’t get the consent of BEDC. It is still the body to supply the electricity and since Government has not relieved BEDC of that supervisory authority on electricity distribution, we are still at the mercy of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company. We have made several efforts that are meant to take us out of this BEDC infested darkness but they have not been yielding fruits .
The best they have done was that they distributed electricity for the people of Ode Aye and commenced community billing which the people couldn’t afford. They tried to extend it to Okitipupa but it was fraught with challenges. We asked for individual house hold meters to avoid crazy and exploitative billing, BEDC did not sanction its supply. We have embarked on a series of visits to Abuja, Benin and Akure but these efforts have not yielded . Responses we got have not been encouraging. Except government comes to our aid , our efforts might not really yield anything.
Thepolity.net : Thank you very much Kabiesi. But, sir can we really put this blame on the door step of BEDC solely? Can we say the government has done its beat to ensure the people come out of this perennial darkness?
Abodi, Oba George Faduyile : I think the government has done the beat required of it in this matter. Electricity supply had been regulated and privatised. Corporate bodies had bid for it and companies like BEDC have taken over the transmission and distribution of electricity. It will be an interference if government at this material time steps in and starts asserting authority . The best government can do is to advise and where necessary encourage the people to liaise with the power distribution company. There is nothing the government can do more than that unless the license given the transmission and distribution company is revoked.
Thepolity cuts in: that means to a large extent , it is the power distribution company that is constituting a clog in the wheel of progress on the people’s bid to get power back to Ikale Land?
Abodi, Oba George Faduyile : To the best of my knowledge, all our electricity challenge as enormous as they are hang on the neck of BEDC ; until they show us the zeal to restore our light, there will be no hope for electricity supply. See, they don’t care wether we pay money or not because they are getting their fund from other industrial zone within their business coverage axis, so that we are in darkness in this senatorial district never bothers them. One other reason we may not get electricity supply soon is that we have no big firm , no big company, no sequence or chains of industry that is consuming high voltage of electricity that will be paying BEDC a bulk amount because they don’t depend on the meagre revenue from respective house billings. They control three states Edo, Ondo and Ekiti . So, where they get huge billing from industrial communities, they supply them electricity on steady basis.
Thepolity.net : Talking about Development in Ikale Land, Kabiesi, would you say there has been adequate development here?
Abodi, Oba George
Faduyile : On development in Ikale Land, it has been our “luck” that the government preceding the present government neglected the whole of Ikale Land, nay Ilaje/Ese Odo completely for eight years. All the facilities that should come to Ikale Land were denied her. The university did not experience a robust growth much expected of a 21st century citadel of learning . Electricity went off during that period and there was no government input in the early stages of the power outage to correct the anomaly , schools became empty as there was no recruitment of teachers all through those long stretch of years while teachers were retiring in both our primary and secondary schools, school building became dilapidated with no repairs done and hospitals too in our area were not equipped to taste.
One thing I will keep on saying is that the wealth of this state , the lion share is derived from this senatorial district. So , this area deserves quality development and not tokenism or window dressing.
The present government is trying to assist ; there is a ray of hope. The university has been touched and given a facelift , there are road construction work coming up there , there is a uniform template of construction of classrooms across primary and secondary schools in the district.
However, our schools are without teachers and interior roads are fast becoming terrible eyesore. Our hospitals still need a face lift as facilities required are still not really available for patients. Considering the fact that we have suffered under development for too long, we need the present administration to focus visible indices of development in the southern senatorial district.
I thank the government for paying retirement allowances of retirees but gratuity , which is the lump some are still not paid. We call government attention to this too.
The polity.net : What can be done to ensure these things Ikale people have been denied are reclaimed?
Abodi, Oba George Faduyile : Let me encourage our sons and daughters and representatives in government to create statistics of development comparable to that of the other senatorial districts of Ondo state. This will be presented to draw attention of government to how far we have lagged behind in the development ladder in the state . We also want to encourage our leaders of thought and opinion moulders to make government realise the state of underdevelopment in Ikale Land. We also want to encourage our Royal Fathers to engage the government on the need for more development to be attracted to our area.
Thepolity.net : The state government has brought the first ever flyover bridge to your district. Won’t that be development enough?
Abodi, Oba George Faduyile : Thank you. It is development to decongest traffic. It is very well appreciated. Some companies will also be springing up along that axis. However, we are yearning for development that will reduce the poverty level of our people so that we can say things have changed positively for our people or that things are gradually changing.
Thepolity.net : On a final note, Kabiesi, we are in the Ember months already and Christmas is fast approaching. Your advice to the people.
Abodi , Oba George Faduyile : Thank you. We want to encourage our people as we approach the festive season and end of the year to take things easily and not to over rush things lest we rush to our early grave in our bid to celebrate the yuletide festivity. We should avoid speeding on the highway and other major roads as speed kills . We really need to avoid accident and untimely deaths this season because it is only those who are alive that celebrate. We should live within our means so that we don’t incur avoidable debt as the year inches to the end.
Thepolity.net: Thank you very much for your time Kabiesi.
Abodi, Oba George Faduyile: Thank you too Steve. You and your crew are doing a really great job.
