Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Nollywood actor and filmmaker Kunle Afod has added his voice to the growing chorus of residents of four Ado-Ekiti communities who have been plunged into total darkness for nearly three years, appealing to Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji to urgently intervene and restore electricity to their homes and businesses. Afod, who has previously used his platform to highlight infrastructural decay in Ondo State, turned his attention to Ekiti, where residents of Oke Alaafia, Igirimo, Alaafiatayo Zone 3 and Alaafia Central Zone have been without power since October 2023, a situation he described as both unbearable and a serious threat to security and economic survival.
The actor's appeal comes amid growing frustration among residents who have endured prolonged blackout, with many complaining that their pleas to government authorities have fallen on deaf ears. According to reports from the affected communities, the electricity outage has crippled small businesses, forced families to rely on expensive generators, and exposed residents to heightened security risks, as the cover of darkness has become a breeding ground for criminal activities. In a video that has since gone viral, Afod was seen and heard appealing to Governor Oyebanji, describing the suffering of the people and calling on the government to treat the situation as an emergency.
This is not the first time Afod has used his platform to advocate for better living conditions in the region. In April 2026, he called out the Ondo State Government over what he described as the neglect of Ose Local Government Area, where he claimed some communities had been without electricity for up to two decades, with Idoani reportedly in darkness for eight years. His latest intervention in Ekiti signals his determination to hold leaders accountable across state lines and to draw national attention to the plight of communities left in the dark while their governors celebrate infrastructure milestones.
The four affected communities in Ado-Ekiti are not remote villages. They are located within the state capital, a fact that has added insult to injury for residents who argue that the government has turned a blind eye to their suffering. According to a report by Reporters At Large published in March 2025, residents of the communities had already begun appealing to the government, describing the situation as total darkness and expressing frustration over the lack of response from authorities. A year after that appeal, the situation remains unchanged.
Governor Oyebanji has, on several occasions, highlighted his administration's achievements in the power sector, including the connection of over 40 towns to the national grid and the commissioning of a 3.6-megawatt Independent Power Project. In October 2025, he urged citizens to be vigilant against vandalism of power installations, citing vandalism as a major cause of outages. However, for the residents of Oke Alaafia, Igirimo, Alaafiatayo Zone 3 and Alaafia Central Zone, these achievements ring hollow as they continue to suffer in darkness.
Afod's appeal has reignited debate about the effectiveness of the government's electrification efforts and the need for a more responsive approach to the needs of communities, particularly those within the state capital. The actor's intervention has also drawn attention to the broader challenge of electricity supply in Ekiti State, where many communities still struggle with erratic power supply despite the government's claims of progress. Residents of the affected communities have called on Governor Oyebanji to personally intervene and ensure that the issue is resolved without further delay.
As the appeal continues to gain traction on social media, the pressure is mounting on Governor Oyebanji to respond. The actor's willingness to speak truth to power, even when it means crossing political boundaries, has earned him praise from many Nigerians who see him as a voice for the voiceless. But for the residents of the four communities, words are not enough. They need light, and they need it now. The question is whether Governor Oyebanji will heed the call or allow the people of his own capital city to continue to suffer in total darkness.
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