FUNAAB Students' Union

REPORT ON FUNAAB SUG’S PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION AT IBEDC OVER PROLONGED POWER OUTAGE On Wednesday, 4 November 2026, the Students’ Union Government (SUG), alongside FUNAAB students and other student stakeholders, embarked on a peaceful demonstration at the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) Ogun Regional Office, Ijeun, Leme, Abeokuta, over the prolonged power outage affecting the FUNAAB community. Following the pre-notice issued on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, we converged at the FUNAAB Gate on Wednesday morning. While some members of the team attended to transportation arrangements, others waited for more students to arrive before we proceeded to IBEDC. In view of concerns that the demonstration could be hijacked, we reached out to the police for an escort to help ensure that the exercise remained peaceful and orderly. Shortly after 9:00 a.m., we departed the university in a convoy comprising approximately three police vehicles, two Students’ Union buses and another Union vehicle, alongside SUG executives, students and other student stakeholders. Upon arrival at the IBEDC Ogun Regional Office, we met security personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the police, the SWAT unit and the anti-terrorism unit, alongside their vehicles, at the premises. The SUG President, other Union executives and the President of the Postgraduate Students’ Association led the demonstration as we proceeded into the IBEDC premises. Students expressed their frustration over the prolonged blackout through chants and vocal demands for urgent intervention. The IBEDC business manager who attended to us attempted to address the gathering and invited us to sit down for discussions. During the engagement, the business manager cited issues including low electricity allocation and broader, international-level factors as explanations for the persistent outage. However, these explanations did not satisfy the demonstrators. The issue of low allocation had been raised repeatedly, while students continued to endure the consequences of the prolonged blackout. We maintained our position that the situation required concrete action and a lasting solution, not another repetition of explanations that had yet to resolve the problem. Our demands were clear and were formally presented in a letter titled “Urgent Demands and Observations Regarding Persistent Power Outage.” We demanded the following: Immediate restoration of electricity: Power must be restored to the affected FUNAAB community within 24 hours of the demonstration. Permanent resolution: IBEDC must implement a lasting and stable technical solution to the recurring electricity problem within one week of the demonstration. These demands reflect the urgency of the situation and our expectation that the company will take responsibility for addressing both the immediate outage and the underlying issues contributing to the persistent disruption. Following the presentation of our demands, the SUG President and other student leaders addressed the gathering. The President also spoke on the broader implications of the situation and the need for the Union to continue representing students’ interests through collective action and engagement with the relevant authorities. The demonstration provided an opportunity for us to present the concerns of FUNAABites directly to IBEDC and formally communicate the urgent action we expect from the company. However, the submission of our demands does not mean the electricity problem has been resolved. The restoration of power and implementation of a lasting solution remain the critical issues requiring attention. As a Union, we remain committed to pursuing the interests and wellbeing of FUNAABites. We expect IBEDC to take the demands presented seriously and act within the stipulated timelines. Our priority remains a reliable electricity supply for the FUNAAB community and a lasting end to the persistent blackout. BY @ovipour, the SUG PRO.