For more than two years, darkness had become an unwelcome companion in Opete Community, Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.
Businesses struggled, artisans watched their electric-powered equipment gather dust, and residents endured the frustration of living without public electricity after the community’s transformer broke down.
But on a night when most residents would ordinarily have been settling into another evening without power, something different happened.
At about 10pm, the sight of a self-loader conveying a brand-new 500kVA transformer into the community sent residents into wild jubilation.
The transformer, donated by the Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Community Development, Olorogun Oscar Ishaka, was received by the leadership of Opete Community as a major intervention aimed at ending the prolonged power crisis.
For residents who had spent over two years waiting for electricity to return, the arrival of the transformer represented more than a piece of electrical equipment—it was a sign of hope that normal economic and social activities could resume.
Presenting the transformer to the community leadership, Ishaka, who is the Okoke of Udu Kingdom and a former president of Opete Community, said the plight of the community had remained a major concern to him.
He explained that his decision to personally purchase the transformer was driven by his desire to contribute to the development of Opete and complement efforts to advance the administration’s development agenda.
“The light situation in Opete has been a major source of concern to me. That is why I decided to personally purchase this transformer to assist the leadership of the community in addressing the prolonged power outage they have been experiencing for over two years.”
Ishaka also expressed appreciation to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for giving him the opportunity to serve and contribute to the development of his community through his appointment.
He called on the community leadership and residents to protect the transformer against vandalism, stressing that its safety was essential to ensuring that the intervention achieved its purpose.
The Senior Special Assistant further appealed to all indigenes of Opete to embrace peace and unity, urging them to put aside differences and work collectively for the advancement of the community.
He also commended Governor Oborevwori for what he described as visible developmental projects in Opete, particularly the construction of Opete Road.
Ishaka assured the Governor of the community’s support, saying Opete would mobilise behind the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming general elections.
‘Our Suffering Is Over’
For the leadership of Opete Community, the arrival of the transformer was nothing short of a rescue mission.
The President of Opete Community, Comrade Sunny Jivwie, and his Vice President, Prince Ojays Fuludu, expressed appreciation to Ishaka for responding to the community’s plight.
They described him as a leader who had demonstrated genuine concern for the welfare and development of his people.
Jivwie said the intervention had brought relief to residents who had endured the prolonged power outage.
He also thanked Governor Oborevwori for appointing Ishaka, noting that the appointment had provided him with a platform to contribute to the development of Opete.
“We are happy that this is happening in our time as the executive of the community. We want to thank Governor Oborevwori for the agenda we are witnessing in Opete Community.”
The community leadership also pledged its support for the APC ahead of the forthcoming elections, declaring its intention to deliver five votes for the party.
For Traders and Artisans, A Fresh Start
Beyond the political and community-development significance of the donation, it is the economic impact of the power outage that residents say has been most painful.
For traders, artisans and small business owners, two years without electricity meant additional costs, lost working hours and abandoned equipment.
One tailor captured the frustration vividly, explaining that she had bought an electric sewing machine more than two years ago but had been unable to use it because of the absence of electricity.
“I am very happy today because for over two years now since I bought my electric tailoring machine, I have not used the machine once. But with the transformer that I am seeing today, I know I will start to use my machine, and it will help to boost my tailoring job.”
She prayed for continued blessings for Ishaka for what she described as his intervention in the community’s difficult situation.
Other traders and artisans expressed similar optimism, saying the restoration of electricity would reduce the burden of operating their businesses and potentially revive economic activities across the community.
For them, the transformer is expected to do more than illuminate homes at night. It could power sewing machines, refrigeration equipment, workshops and other small businesses that depend on electricity to survive.
The presentation ended on a spiritual note, as members of the Opete Christian Movement, led by Apostle Fred Kator, held a prayer session committing the transformer and the community’s power situation into the hands of God.
After more than two years of darkness, Opete now waits for the next crucial step: the installation and energisation of the transformer.
For residents who watched the transformer arrive at 10pm in a wave of excitement, however, that night had already brought something the community had not felt in a long time—hope that the lights would finally come back on.
