Popular musician Yinka Ayefele’s radio station valued at N800million has been demolished by the Governor Ajimobi led administration in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The building which used to house Fresh FM owned by Ayefele, and located along the Toll-Gate-Challenge area in Ibadan, was said to have been brought down on Sunday at about 6am by government task force and security operatives, after just three days notice.
Though the Governor and his Commissioner of Information and heads of the town planning are yet to comment or issue a statement on the demolition, it is being alleged that the demolition exercise carried out this morning has more of a political undertone than what the government is claiming ‘nearness to a major road’.
The government had earlier issued a notice (allegedly 3-days) to bring down the building due to the proximity of the building to the major road, which they said violates the building code of the state. Mr. Yinka Ayefele and staffs of Fresh FM were taken by surprised this morning, when government task force and battle ready police officers, started pulling down the structure.
The government since taking over power had on some many occasions threatened to take down the building, as Ayefele and government officials continued their war of words and an action that is seen by many as political victimisation.
The singer has since taken the matter to court, with an argument that the government issued the plan for the demolished building, and also was receiving yearly land use charged from the owners, but most importantly, that he is allegedly been prosecuted for his political affiliation.
My question is when that particular road was undergoing a remodeling in terms of expansion and provision of drainage system the said building was not demolished, or government did not take notice of it? I mean demolishing a building after the completion of the road years later, really does not make any sense to me…but it could make a lot of sense politically for the Governor and his aides though…lol
We awaits Governor Ajimobi’s reaction and his thoughts on Ayefele’s alleged claims to the demolished building….more to come…