Landmark infrastructure to transform electricity supply across six Osun Central Local Government Areas
The Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly, Distinguished Senator Olubiyi Oluwole Fadeyi, LL.M, PhD, popularly known as Ajagunnla-Oodua Ti Ile Oodua, has announced a landmark intervention in the power sector with the approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the installation of a 1x60MVA electricity substation and the construction of a 15-kilometre 132KV transmission line in Ila-Orangun, Osun State.
According to Senator Fadeyi, the contract for the project has been awarded in two phases at a total cost of ₦36 billion, marking one of the most significant infrastructure interventions in the Osun Central Senatorial District in recent years.
The project, which is expected to be completed within 14 months, is strategically located in Ila-Orangun and is designed to strengthen electricity supply and improve the power infrastructure serving six Local Government Areas: Ila, Ifedayo, Boluwaduro, Boripe, Ifelodun and Odo-Otin.
For communities and businesses across these local government areas, the project represents more than the construction of a substation and transmission line. It is a major investment in economic growth, industrial development, education, healthcare, agriculture, small and medium-sized enterprises, and an improved quality of life.
A New Chapter in Power Infrastructure
The installation of a 60 MVA substation, coupled with a 15 km 132 kV transmission line, is expected to provide the necessary infrastructure to enhance the reliability and capacity of electricity supply within the benefiting communities.
For years, inadequate and unstable electricity supply has remained a major obstacle to economic activities and social development across many communities. The new project therefore comes at a critical time when increased electricity capacity is needed to support businesses, institutions, industries and households.
The project is also expected to create direct and indirect economic opportunities during construction and, in the longer term, stimulate investments in the benefiting communities.
Beyond its immediate impact on electricity supply, the project could become a catalyst for broader development across Osun Central.
Senator Fadeyi’s Appreciation to President Tinubu
Announcing the approval, Senator Fadeyi expressed profound appreciation to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for approving the project.
He also acknowledged the support and cooperation of traditional institutions and community stakeholders whose contributions made the project possible.
The Senator specifically appreciated the Kabiyesi, the Orangun of Ila, Oba Wahab Oyedotun, and his Chiefs, as well as the Asiwaju of Ila-Orangun, Chief (Dr.) Adebisi Bamdele Akande, for their support.
He equally commended the youths of Ila-Orangun for their patience, understanding and maturity throughout the process leading to the realisation of the project.
Senator Fadeyi extended a special appreciation to the Ila Muslim Community and the people of Ile-Orangun, who donated the land for the project.
Their gesture, he noted, demonstrated the importance of communal ownership and cooperation in attracting development projects to the community.
A Senator Who Connects Policy With Development
The power project is another reflection of Senator Fadeyi’s approach to legislative representation, which combines legislative activism, private-sector expertise, strategic partnerships and grassroots development.
Distinguished Senator Olubiyi Oluwole Fadeyi represents Osun Central Senatorial District in the 10th Senate. He is widely known by the traditional and honorary titles Ajagunnla-Oodua Ti Ile Yorubaland, Tayese II of Ifetedo Kingdom, and Bobasofin of Ondo Kingdom.
He is regarded as a political strategist, innovative thinker, boardroom expert, entrepreneur and philanthropist with extensive experience in public-private partnerships and infrastructure development.
His academic and professional profile includes a PhD in Political Science and an LL.M in Business and International Law from Cumbria, United Kingdom. He is also a Senior Executive Fellow at Harvard University, with exposure to programmes and institutions including Harvard Business School, Harvard Law School, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and the London School of Economics and Political Science.
His areas of specialisation include public-private partnerships, negotiation, international relations, political economy, and international and national security.
With about three decades of experience in public-private partnerships, Senator Fadeyi has been associated with efforts to facilitate infrastructure development through foreign direct investment into Nigeria, reportedly involving projects valued at billions of United States dollars.
Legislative Activism and Grassroots Development
Since his emergence in the 10th Senate, Senator Fadeyi has focused attention on issues affecting the people at both the national and grassroots levels.
His areas of interest include education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, the judiciary, environmental protection, community development and philanthropy.
He currently chairs the Senate Committee on Environment and also serves as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Communications and Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Investment.
In the environmental sector, he has been vocal on issues surrounding environmental degradation, climate resilience and forest security, including advocacy for a National Forest Guard system which he believes could contribute to employment opportunities for Nigerian youths while strengthening the protection of the nation’s forests.
From Ila-Orangun to Six Local Governments
The significance of the ₦36 billion power project extends beyond Ila-Orangun.
By serving six Local Government Areas—Ila, Ifedayo, Boluwaduro, Boripe, Ifelodun and Odo-Otin—the project has the potential to become a regional development infrastructure.
Reliable electricity can strengthen local industries, improve the operations of schools and healthcare facilities, support agricultural processing, reduce dependence on alternative and often expensive sources of power, and encourage new businesses to establish operations within the area.
For young entrepreneurs and small businesses, dependable electricity can mean longer productive hours and lower operating costs. For larger investors, it can improve the attractiveness of the area as a destination for investment.
In this regard, the project is not merely an electricity project; it is an economic development project with the potential to unlock opportunities across Osun Central.
A Project Built on Partnership
The story of the project also underscores the power of partnership between government, traditional institutions, religious communities, political representatives and ordinary citizens.
The donation of land by the Ila Muslim Community and the people of Ile-Orangun demonstrates that development is often achieved when communities make sacrifices for the collective good.
The cooperation of the traditional institution, community leaders and youths equally reinforces the importance of unity in securing and sustaining government interventions.
Senator Fadeyi’s appreciation of these stakeholders is therefore significant: development becomes more sustainable when the people themselves become partners and custodians of the projects brought to their communities.
14 Months of Expectation
With the project scheduled for completion within 14 months, attention will now turn to implementation.
For the people of Ila-Orangun and the five other benefiting Local Government Areas, the expectation is clear: that the project will be executed according to specification, completed within the stipulated period and ultimately deliver the improved electricity infrastructure promised.
If successfully implemented, the project could become one of the defining infrastructure achievements of the current representation of Osun Central in the National Assembly.
For Senator Fadeyi, it is another opportunity to demonstrate his stated philosophy of policy, partnership and people-centred development.
For the people of Osun Central, it is a ₦36 billion investment that carries the promise of brighter homes, stronger businesses, better institutions and a more prosperous future.
And for Ila-Orangun, the host community, the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the 60MVA substation and 15km transmission line could mark the beginning of a new chapter in the town’s infrastructural and economic development.
Indeed, when government, community and leadership unite around a common purpose, development becomes not just a promise, but a possibility waiting to be fulfilled.
