– Ajimobi justifies demolition, says building contravenes law
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has described the demolition of Yinka Ayefele’s ‘Music House’ containing Fresh FM Radio Station as worrisome, adding that the action does not speak well of the Oyo State Government.
‘Music House’ is the head office of Fresh FM, a radio station also owned by Ayefele, a Yoruba gospel musician.
The Director General of the commission, Ishaq Modibbo Kawu said this while addressing journalists in Ilorin, Kwara State, stressing that the government ought to have taken into consideration the fact that the radio station employs many citizens of the state, as well as provides informative, educative, and entertainment services to residents of the state and beyond.
“The development is worrisome because for all it is worth, the broadcast outfits are playing a big role in reducing unemployment, especially in this situation where many young Nigerians are idle. They also play social, informational, educational and entertaining roles in the society,” Kawu said.
He added that:“Such development does not speak well of the government and has a negative effect on the nation, especially at a point when more broadcasting outfits are influencing the social space in the country.”
Fresh FM 105.9 radio station building demolished on Sunday
The NBC boss said the commission will seek for ways to remedy the situation. He recalled that there had been a similar incident in Nasarawa State, where the government demolished a radio station, Breeze FM, on the premise that the building was against the state’s urban laws.
“What we did was to meet our licensee to find out what the issues were because he was prepared to go to court. We also met with the state commissioner for information and the governor. The issue also was that the building violated the usage of urban space,” Kawu said.
“We were able to reach an agreement that the government should give the broadcaster a new plot of land and assist him to go back to building a new station. However, just last week, I got a letter that the side of the government in the agreement had not been fulfilled.”
Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi ha justified the demolition of the ‘Music House’, insisting that the building contravened the laws of the state, and one cannot be allowed to get away with illegality just because one has a disability, or has employed people in one’s firm.
“About the house they said we demolished, that man apparently did not uphold the law,” Ajimobi told BBC Yoruba service.
“People say he should be pitied because he is lame. Does that mean a person is free to violate the law if he is handicapped? They also say he has employed people, but do thieves also not employ others? Shall we say because they have employees, thieves are at liberty to steal?”
The ‘Music House’ was demolished at about 4 am on Sunday, August 19, in spite of a subsisting court directive restraining the state government from going ahead with the exercise pending the determination of the case.
Two years after he saw no reason to do so, Ajimobi justifies demolition of radio station
Meanwhile, Governor Ajimobi has justified the partial demolition of the Music House in Ibadan, which also houses a private radio station.
In a brief address delivered at the eid ground in Ibadan, following the eid prayer on Tuesday, Ajimobi accused Ayefele of breaking the provisions of the law. This was made public through a video released by BBC Yoruba.
He said Ayefele deserves no sympathy simply on the grounds that he is physically challenged and that he has created jobs for hundreds of the state’s residents. The law must maintain its course, he maintained.
“And about the house they said we demolished,” the governor said, “that man apparently did not uphold the law.”
The Governor added: “People say he should be pitied because he is lame. Does that mean a person is free to violate the law if he is handicapped? They also say he has employed people, but do thieves also not employ others? Shall we say because they have employees, thieves are at liberty to steal?
“And we told them about the road… He has…spoken though, and we shall have pity on them. But, we need to be obeying the law.”
Ajimobi appeared to suggest that the famous gospel artiste has apologised and will be offered assistance to lessen the effect of the damage wrought.
Ayefele himself revealed that Temitope Titilope, his wife, knelt down for hours to plead with Ajimobi against the proposed demolition, and said the governor gave her $1000 to assure her of his consent.
Despite his latest no-one-is-above-the-law stance however, Ajimobi seemed to view the controversy surrounding the Music House from the lens of political expediency two years ago. In fact, he said he saw no need at all to tear down the building.
With Ayefele seated closely beside him, Ajimobi said, in a 2016 broadcast aired by Fresh FM, that he was encouraged to demolish the building because the owner opposed his government, but that he was glad he had acted otherwise. He had also praised the station, describing it as the best in the state.
“When we contested the first and won, a lot [of people] told us to demolish the radio station because your programmes and broadcasts are against my government,” he had revealed.
“Your boss, Yinka Ayefele, was also using songs to insult us. I didn’t see any reason why I should demolish the studio. If Ayefele is not for us today, he [will] support us later in future.”
Ajimobi had continued then: “I am thankful I did not demolish it then. God said we should come here. Is it not Ayefele who is seated beside me? He is now comparing the dove to the turkey.
“So I am excited to be here, and pray to God to continue to make this station fare well. It made me happy when I discovered, after arriving, that they have done well. I am one individual who prefers that things are done in an orderly manner.”
“Without any equivocation,” he added, “it is the best studio I have seen in Oyo State.”
ICiR
