Nepa is a national name for electricity here, no matter how they force us to say it whenever power is restored.
This is basically the right time for this contest, it looks like a coincidence because we have been battling with electricity, and also the problems with their officials.
Last November, I heard a loud blow from the transformer, a very loud one that frightened the neighborhood. Our house is just some kilometers from where the transformer is, and you would know how loud it would be at such a distance. I just exclaimed "Oh, e don be oo" as I heard the bang from the transformer. We all know that if your street doesn't have any government officials, or it's not an estate, and the transformer blows, it can take years before they fix it. We knew what was coming for this street of ours.
Days passed and we didn't have our share of light, while the other streets were glittering we were just watching in darkness. Hope came and we were assured of getting the transformer worked on. I have heard several news till July this year, which is approximately 9 months, and we are still having the same issues.
After so many connections, the officials finally came for intervention and took the transformer to their office for repairs. This transformer was returned a week later, and I was expecting to see light, but as usual, it was only on the other street. It looked like we were the spikes troubling Electricity in the community because, how could they give light from 2pm till 6am in the morning, something we never saw when we had no electricity issues.
Source
On a dark night, I was just moving through the Internet when a town crier who had gone extinct for years patrolled the street with his gong. He said they had made an agreement to repair the transformer, and each compound is expected to pay the sum of 13,000 naira. I quickly calculated the amount multiplied by more than 50 compounds, that's 650,000, which is huge. People complied with it and gradually they paid up A thought came, and I just asked, *** This PHED electricity company is now a private company, and one of their working tools, which is now the transformer, has an issue. Who is responsible for repairing it, is it the customers or the company? ***
The official assigned told us that the company is requesting 5 million naira from the community to work on the transformer, which is a daytime extortion. They actually worked on it and did a test run. We were just at home, not seeing light for months, we saw a super flash in our light bulb, I don't know when I jumped, my sis was just shouting "Neeeppaaa". This always catches people unprepared, you don't know how or when you say it, it just comes with the happiness.
After one week of giving light, we were finally able enjoy what we were deprived of for months, but billings started and each compound was asked to pay 5k again, to complete with what they paid already, they said they begged the official that they will bring up a million naira plus, that the street won't be able to raise 5 million, that's why they got extra 5k from each compound.
We finally have light, and I have been enjoying every moment of it. But you can't compare the rate they give light in our street with how they give light in some estates in the state. On Sunday morning, they restored power, and I came back from church, and there was still light, wow. Today, as early as 6am, they've been lighting till 12, then 2 till 5pm I was just wondering why, not until I saw some officials with a ladder, all these were for the bills. Anytime they want to get those bills, they bring them into the light, then after getting them, they disappear for weeks and repeat the process.
One thing I enjoy while coming back from school is looking at that point in my street, which I use to detect if there's light, if it shines, the joy I have then. Who else has points they check in their street to know if there's light?.