On Monday, March 18, 2019, darkness suddenly descended on Ijesaland, one of the major economic hubs of Osun State, from where a significant portion of the state's internally generated revenue is derived.
What went wrong?
The crisis followed a violent altercation between some youths in Ilesa and officials of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), reportedly arising from grievances over electricity billing and alleged charges for unconsumed electricity.
The confrontation had serious consequences. Some IBEDC electricity infrastructure was damaged, prompting the company to disconnect the six Local Government Areas that make up Ijesaland from the national grid. The situation raised fears of a prolonged power outage, with the community facing the prospect of years without electricity under IBEDC's reported position on the matter.
The impact was immediate and far-reaching.
Businesses were disrupted. Healthcare facilities, schools, security operations and other essential services were affected. For a community whose economic and social activities depended heavily on electricity, the prospect of an extended blackout was a major threat to its wellbeing.
But at a time when frustration and anger were mounting, the Asiwaju of Ijesaland, Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi, chose a different path.
He would not allow the crisis to become a prolonged socio-economic paralysis for his community.
From that very first day, Fasuyi moved to engage the parties involved and began the search for a solution. Rather than allowing confrontation to dictate the course of events, he brought to the table the community, traditional rulers, IBEDC management, security authorities, the Osun State Government and other relevant stakeholders.
His approach was clear: understand the problem, open channels of communication, protect the interests of Ijesaland and pursue a practical path towards restoring electricity.
It was an intervention that demanded initiative, persistence, communication and collaboration. It also became a defining demonstration of the five principles associated with his decade of service—leadership by example, vision, integrity, transparency and accountability.
For about three months, Fasuyi personally drove negotiations and stakeholder engagements aimed at resolving the crisis. From his meeting with IBEDC management in Ibadan on March 18, 2019, to subsequent engagements with government and community stakeholders, he remained at the centre of the effort to move Ijesaland from confrontation towards resolution.
Eventually, electricity was restored, bringing an end to a crisis that had threatened to plunge the entire community into prolonged darkness.
But what happened behind that restoration?
How did Fasuyi navigate the anger, negotiations, government intervention and stakeholder interests involved in the crisis?
How did the community avoid the reported ₦242 million financial demand associated with the damaged infrastructure?
And how did an intervention that began on the very first day of the crisis culminate in the restoration of electricity within about three months, despite the earlier fear of a much longer blackout?
Please find in this third milestone of Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi's Compendium of Impact and Integrity in Ijesaland, the details of another exemplary demonstration of leadership in action.
Leading From the Front
The 2019 electricity crisis in Ijesaland was one of the major community-wide challenges addressed through the intervention of Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi during his decade of service to the people.
Rather than waiting for a formal committee or government directive, Fasuyi personally engaged IBEDC executives and other relevant stakeholders. The contemporary account of the crisis records that on March 18, 2019, he travelled to IBEDC headquarters in Ibadan, where he held an extended meeting with the company's management on the restoration of electricity.
He also engaged security authorities and other stakeholders to create the conditions necessary for IBEDC personnel to return and assess the damaged facilities.
The approach demonstrated a willingness to personally enter a difficult situation and seek a solution rather than simply call on others to act.
A Vision Beyond Protest
The intervention was driven by a clear objective: restore electricity and revive the socio-economic life of Ijesaland.
Rather than allowing the dispute to remain a cycle of protests and counter-reactions, Fasuyi pursued dialogue, technical assessment, government intervention and stakeholder coordination.
For about three months, he chaired negotiation sessions involving relevant stakeholders, with the process focused on rebuilding trust between IBEDC and the Ijesaland community.
This reflected his broader leadership philosophy that development requires looking beyond the immediate crisis towards the desired long-term outcome.
Integrity and Community Interest
Fasuyi's intervention also reflected the principle of integrity, particularly in his insistence on protecting the interests of the community while keeping the door open for dialogue.
At a period of heightened anger, he repeatedly appealed for peace and urged youths and other aggrieved residents to allow stakeholders to work towards restoring electricity.
His position was that prolonged confrontation could further damage the community's economy and social life.
The approach sought to combine firmness in defending community interests with responsibility in managing the dispute.
Transparency Through Continuous Information
Another feature of the intervention was transparency.
Fasuyi established a reporting network through which developments from his meetings with IBEDC and other stakeholders were communicated to Ijesa organisations and individuals.
He explained the philosophy behind the approach in simple terms: “information is power only when it's disseminated in timely manner.”
The regular flow of information helped stakeholders understand developments, challenges and possible next steps while strengthening collective participation in the resolution process.
Accountability and Follow-Up
The intervention also demonstrated accountability, as meetings were followed by specific actions and further engagements.
When negotiations required broader government involvement, Fasuyi wrote the then Governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, requesting a tripartite meeting involving the Osun State Government, Ijesaland representatives and IBEDC.
The meeting eventually held at the Governor's office on April 10, 2019, with IBEDC committing to initiate processes towards the repair and restoration of electricity.
The process did not end with the meeting. Fasuyi continued to monitor developments, report progress and mobilise stakeholders until electricity was eventually restored.
From Darkness to Light
According to the 10 Years of Service Compendium of Impact and Integrity in Ijesaland, electricity was restored to Ijesaland within three months, despite the earlier projection of a possible five-year disruption. The account also states that the community did not ultimately bear the reported financial penalty for the damaged infrastructure.
Fasuyi subsequently acknowledged the contributions of the Osun State Government, the Owa Obokun, other traditional rulers, community organisations, professionals and IBEDC management in achieving the resolution.
The episode has consequently been presented as an example of Fasuyi's stated approach to community leadership: “identifying the problem, proffering the solution, mobilising the stakeholders, developing the implementation and pursuing the execution.”
The 2019 electricity crisis therefore illustrates how the five principles associated with Fasuyi's leadership—leadership by example, vision, integrity, transparency and accountability—were translated into practical community intervention.
While the restoration was achieved through the combined efforts of several stakeholders, the account identifies Fasuyi as a principal driver of the negotiation process, demonstrating a leadership style centred on initiative, collaboration, communication and pursuit of results.
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