When Darkness Defines a Town; What Iree’s Power Crisis Says About Development
Electricity is no longer a luxury in any community; it is a basic indicator of development.
Yet, in Iree, a town hosting Osun State Polytechnic, students and residents continue to live and learn in darkness, even at the most important periods of the year.
This is not a new problem. During the December festive season, Christmas and New Year, the electricity supply in Iree was highly unstable. Many residents could not enjoy the holidays properly, as the power supply was either irregular or completely absent for days.
Homes, shops, and student residences were left in darkness at a time meant for rest and celebration.
Unfortunately, the situation has not improved.
As Osun State Polytechnic resumed full academic activities for the 2025/2026 session, students returned to campus only to meet the same old challenge, unstable electricity.
The blackout has become more troubling because it comes shortly after the festive period and now overlaps with academic activities in a new semester.
Earlier, during the last examination period, students endured weeks of power outage. Hostels were plunged into darkness, forcing students to rely on rechargeable lamps, phone flashlights, solar devices, and generators.
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Many spent valuable study hours moving from one place to another just to charge their phones and power banks instead of preparing for exams.
Months later, the story remains the same.
This raises a serious question: can a town that hosts a higher institution truly be called developing when basic electricity remains unreliable?
For students, electricity is not just about light. It powers fans in overcrowded hostels, supports online research, helps charge essential gadgets, and creates a healthy environment for learning. Without stable power, studying becomes stressful, expensive, and unequal. While some students can afford alternatives, many others simply struggle.
The electricity challenge also affects the wider Iree community. Small businesses suffer losses, daily activities slow down, and residents are forced to adjust their lives around power availability. When electricity is restored for just a few hours, it brings temporary relief but no lasting solution.
Development is not measured by promises or announcements; it is measured by infrastructure that works. A town preparing students for the future must show signs of progress. Stable electricity is one of the clearest signs of that progress.
If Iree is to be seen as more than just a school town, the power supply must be treated as a priority. Students should not resume a new academic session only to battle darkness again.
Education can only thrive where the environment supports learning.
Until consistent electricity becomes a reality, the question will remain unanswered, is Iree moving forward, or standing still in the dark?
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