My wife begged Governor Ajimobi for five hours a night before the demolition - Yinka Ayefele reveals

Yinka Ayefele

Popular musician Yinka Ayefele has said he was hospitalised for five days when he received the notice from Oyo State government to demolish Music House building housing his Fresh FM in Ibadan, the state capital.

The artiste said he was on hospital bed from August 14 till August 18.



Addressing reporters yesterday inside the partially demolished building, Ayefele said his wife was at the home of Governor Abiola Ajimobi around 11 p.m on August 18 till about 4 a.m on August 19, pleading with him not to demolish the building.

The singer, who was in company of top officials of the his radio station, said: “Immediately, I got this demolition notice last Monday, August 13, I started making moves on how we could overcome it. All I can see is the demolition taking place, after we had gone to court.

“They were served with the court processes on Thursday and the case was fixed for August 20 (yesterday). But before today, we saw that they had carried out what they said they were coming to do.

“On Saturday, my wife was with the governor of Oyo State. She was on her knees for almost five hours with the governor – it was around 11 p.m till 4a.m – in the governor’s house. I was on my hospital bed because I had been down since Tuesday that I got the demolition notice.

“I would have followed them to the governor’s house, but I couldn’t go because I was on the hospital bed. So, I asked my wife to go there and solicit on my behalf. My wife was with the governor for almost five hours.

“The governor said she should not worry, that everything would be resolved. As a matter of fact, the governor gave my wife $1,000 and two other people who followed her to the place. He told them everything was over. What we saw was the demolition on Sunday morning.

“I don’t know precisely what went wrong. What has been my offence to deserve this? I have close to 200 people who work with me here. All my labour, what I have laboured for, for over 20 years in pain, was just pulled down in minutes.

“So, I don’t know if there has been any way that I have wronged the government, I would have gone to beg or pray for forgiveness.”

Ayefele said he acted promptly on the letters he received from the government, adding that before the demolition notice was served on him, he had asked for a way out.

According to him, the government said he should put up another plan for approval, “which I told my architect to do”.

He added: “It is not a day’s job. It was almost done when we get this demolition notice.

“As it stands, we are going to abide by the ruling of the court. Aside this, we are also suing the government for unlawful destruction of our property. We have relocated our studio and Fresh FM is fully back on air. It is only NBC that can stop us from broadcasting. They can only try but they can’t succeed.”

Ayefele said he got government approval for Music House, saying: “In the approved plan of the Music House, we requested for an approval for a business complex with proposed two studios, which was approved. This building is more than 10 years. Are you now saying that the radio licence, which costs several millions to obtain, is not a business venture?
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  2. AdekunleAugust 21, 2018 at 10:31 AM

    This is Wickness from the Government of Oyo State. So absurdity. With his Conditions,he still invested minions of naira to safe people of Oyo in hunger & Jobless and One Governor went ahead and destabilized the whole thing in just a day. So painful. Upon the tax this broadcasting is paying Oyo Government from years back. Oyo Government must pay for these damages.

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  3. God knows best! I was seriously annoyed with the Governor before but upon reading what is put out here, I became confused and quickly realized how government works. In actual fact, I would want to give the Governor the benefit of doubt at this time. He might want to intercede on behalf of Aiyefele but because the meeting happened on Saturday which is not a work day and the demolition occurred on Sunday. The governor might know know the plan of the Ministry responsible for this. If the Governor was really sincere, then on behalf of the government, he would have to rebuild the place and compensate Aiyefele and the staff for the pains, loss of property and income.

    Let us step back and look at what happened recently at the National assembly. We thought that it was the presidency who sent force men to go and barricade the National Assembly, but then we knew that the man at the helm of affairs knew nothing about it and that is why the DSS DG, Mr. Daura was relinquished of his power. Let us see how the governor will do damage control at this time.

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