The attention of TA Gardens Estate Residents Association (TAGRA) has been drawn to a report circulating online concerning the recent unfortunate and regrettable incident at the estate. Even though the report is attributed to unsigned and unsighted “press statements,” we note with deep concern that it was riddled with barefaced lies, inaccuracies, wicked distortions, and deliberately intended to cast aspersions on the peace-loving and law-abiding residents of the estate. Because we are mindful of the proverbial hand of Esau and voice of Jacob, we are compelled to make this statement to set the record straight.
It is imperative that we recount the events that precipitated the crisis on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that at no time was Mr Wole Akala, the Managing Director of Vitalvox, developers of the estate, held hostage by residents on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. His visit to the estate coincided with an altercation at the gate following an attempt by a resident to bring in his generator after over a month of power outage. As a result, many residents, including children returning from school, as well as Mr Akala, could not gain entry into the estate because of the face-off between the resident and the estate security personnel. After laying verbal abuses at residents, including calling them “low-lives,” Mr Akala proceeded towards the expressway with the head of the facility management team, Mr Temidayo Odekunle. Within an hour, Mr Odekunle returned with a group of thugs armed with charms who forced their way into the estate. One of them was seen in the video in circulation assaulting an armed police officer.
The claim that the association “unlawfully” took “over the estate’s power management, mismanaging the infrastructure and overseeing a collapse in electricity supply” belies the facts. In a letter dated May 19, 2026, and addressed to TAGRA, Vitalvox informed residents that effective June 15, 2026, “Canistel (the facility managers) has been compulsorily mandated to withdraw from direct involvement in the power management framework,” and ceded that responsibility to TAGRA. Vitalvox wrote a reminder letter on June 2, 2026, insisting that “we are yet to receive any response or update from your good selves regarding the terminal date of 15th June for the transfer of power management to the TAGRA.”
Thankfully, the association was able to reach an agreement with a vendor and the transition process was completed on June 4, 2026, and Vitalvox was duly informed. Meanwhile, the estate had continued to experience agonising power outages throughout the month of May because Canistel adamantly refused to purchase diesel for the generator even though the blended tariff residents were paying covered IKEDC tariff and generator power. Our demand that they revert to the IKEDC tariff alone was rebuffed. Faced with the dire situation, residents had to contribute money to purchase diesel for the generator. After the purchase of 5,000 litres of diesel for the generator, we were suddenly informed that the change-over switch was damaged. Residents had to hurriedly purchase a new one after Canistel declined to do so.
We had just purchased a fresh 3,000 litres of diesel on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, when we were told at the point of turning on the generator that the coil was damaged. We were told officials of the generator supplier would arrive the following day to fix it. So, residents had to spend the night in darkness. Until Wednesday, June 24, when the incident happened at the estate gate, Canistel kept informing TAGRA that they were still expecting the invoice for the new coil. And residents kept wallowing in darkness. Hours before the altercation at the gate, Canistel also informed residents that there was no diesel for the 60kva generator that pumps water, despite supplies from TAGRA to them on a consistent basis. We later discovered that they were using the diesel specifically meant for the pumping of water to power their office while residents languished in heat and darkness.
From the foregoing, it is self-evident that despite ceding the power management structure to TAGRA, Canistel and Vitalvox did everything within their power to frustrate residents and scuttle the new arrangement. The unfortunate incident of June 24, was the culmination of weeks of frustration, bottled-up anger, agony, and resentment among residents of being treated with nonchalance, disrespect, and disdain by a facility manager whose only motivation appears to be to shortchange and aggravate them.
The association took the bold initiative of approaching an Independent Power Producer that serves over 200 clients along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway corridor. We are of the considered view that this is a more reliable, cleaner, and sustainable source of power supply given the price vagaries and maintenance issues associated with the use of generators. On Thursday, June 18, 2026, residents called for and had a meeting with officials of Vitalvox and Canistel to brief them about our progress in this regard. The meeting concluded with an understanding among all the parties that IPP was the best way forward for the reasons stated earlier. We are, therefore, appalled to read that TAGRA unilaterally entered into an agreement with the IPP. This is nothing but cheap blackmail and deliberate mischief, with unmistakable diabolical intent to obfuscate facts, muddy the waters, and beguile unsuspecting members of the public, some of whom are investors and stakeholders in the estate.
Residents of TA Gardens are unequivocally persuaded that the IPP option offers the best solution to resolve the current electricity supply crisis in the estate. We believe this is the surest path to uphold and achieve the vision that late Tayo Aderinokun, the iconic banker, had for our beautiful estate. It is our earnest hope and expectation that his widow, Salamotu, whose responsibility it is to preserve this legacy, and the managers of Vitalvox and Canistel also share that aspiration.
TA Gardens Residents Association
