After 7pm, everybody is engaging their wives’ — Fayose links rural darkness to population growth

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has linked the lack of electricity in rural communities to early bedtimes, limited nightlife and what he described as increased population growth.

Fayose made the remarks on Friday in Abuja shortly after his inauguration as Chairman of the Governing Board of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

In a video shared by ARISE News on Saturday, the former governor argued that the absence of electricity in rural communities had restricted recreational activities, leaving residents with few alternatives at night.

He said darkness sets in early in many rural communities, forcing residents to remain indoors.

“Why you don’t address this issue of electricity? The people at that level have no alternative attraction. Nothing else matters to them. After 7 o’clock, it gets dark there.

“Everybody is engaging their wives. And the population simply becomes double. The simple problem is because there is lack of electricity,” Fayose said.

The REA chairman further argued that expanding electricity access would encourage rural residents to remain active beyond the early evening, create opportunities for nightlife and provide alternative forms of recreation.

“People go to bed early. Their mind is simply prepared that, well, if this is the only available recreation, let me remain here.

“But when we address this electricity, there will be nightlife. There will be recreation outside your wife,” he added.

Fayose’s comments came as he assumed leadership of the REA board, which is responsible for advancing efforts to expand electricity access to underserved and unserved communities across Nigeria.

He was inaugurated alongside other members of the REA Governing Board by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe.

Also inaugurated were Ahmadu Abubakar and Ilyasu Makinta, alongside three other non-executive directors, while Abba Aliyu formally assumed office as the Managing Director of the agency.

Fayose had earlier pledged to use his position to provide the political support required to strengthen the agency’s programmes and expand electricity access across the country.

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