Fresh facts have emerged on the demolition of Yinka Ayefele’s Music House, housing his Fresh FM studios, by the Oyo State Government, penultimate Sunday.
The Music House was demolished in the wee hours of that fateful Sunday, and the Oyo State Government has continuously been striving to explain why such action was taken.
Following the demolition notice that was served on the Music House on Monday, August 12, 2018, the Oyo State Government swung into action barely six days after, bringing down the house situated in Ibadan, the state capital.
The property, which is reportedly valued at N800 million, has been in operation in the last ten years and many have questioned not just the government’s decision, but the pace at which the demolition was carried out.
The Oyo State Government claimed that the location of the demolished building contravened urban and physical planning laws of the state.
This led to the management approaching the High Court to seek an order barring the state government from demolishing the building, with the suit adjourned for hearing this past week.
Samson Akindele, Head of News, Fresh FM, further explained what he believed was the real reason the state government took the action to pull down the building
He said, ”The only reason this has to happen is because we are a victim of political vendetta, even though we are not a political party. We have been very professional in doing our job.
“And that is why they reported us to the NBC, [National Broadcasting Commission]; they found nothing against us, that they should withdraw our licenses, up to Abuja level, but they found nothing against us.
“But the government of Oyo State through the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Toye Arologun, had been on our neck. I have been threatened not once, not twice over certain reports that had been done that we didn’t go against the ethics of our profession.
“They have only agreed to use other tactics by calling on an agency of government to come and do the evil deed they have done.
”We got a three-day notice to evacuate the building from Monday and Wednesday, they wanted to come around 4am Thursday morning. But when they saw that people were there in front of the building, they couldn’t come.
“In 2012, the building lost about three or four plots to that road. We had to concede, a consensus was reached that this road will still be here without this building obstructing and we have been there since then up till now.
“The Governor visited our studios in October 2016 and he said, ‘I thank God that I did not demolish this building when politicians told me to do so.’ We felt finally, respite has come, not knowing that our professional action will still bring this kind of a thing on us.”
He stated that the hearing had been fixed for Monday, August 20 at the High Court in Ibadan and a notice had been served that everyone should hold action, until the matter was tabled before the court.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association, Ibadan branch, has condemned the demolition of the Music House by the Oyo State Government.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman and the Secretary of the NBA in Ibadan, Oluwole Akintayo and Akeem Okelola, the association described the demolition as a breach of the rule of law.
Similarly, the National Broadcasting Commission has condemned the action of the Oyo State Government.
NBC Director-General, Ishaq Midibbo-Kawu described the action of the Oyo government as a worrisome development, which did not speak well of the state government.
Modibo-Kawu said: “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. 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. In this case particularly, there are so many issues that can be weaved up negatively by people. We hope that as we move forward, we will be able to find a solution to the situation”.
