Ayefele cries witch hunt as radio station faces demolition

Ace musician Yinka Ayefele has protested the proposed demolition of the building housing his radio station, Fresh FM, in Ibadan, Oyo state.

According to the Oyo government, the structure called Music House contravenes the physical planning laws of the state.

Music House is said to be “structurally defective/poses danger or constitutes a nuisance to the occupier or the general public”.

The notice served by the government expired on Wednesday and the demolition is slated for Thursday.

Toye Arulogun, Oyo commissioner for information, culture and tourism, said Music House violated the originally approved building plan.

Arulogun said contravention notices were served to all radio stations in the state in 2017.

He said Music House ignored its request for an application for a new building plan.

Arulogun said the state government had also received petitions in regards to three accidents that took place around Music House.

Reacting to the proposed demolition exercise, Ayefele in a statement said the construction of Music House followed due process.

Ayefele said the state government is acting based on the prompting of some politicians he had sung against.

He said in the statement: “Our attention has been drawn to a purported press release by Mr Arulogun …that the Music House complex contravenes planning laws and is responsible for three fatal accidents that occurred on the road in the last nine months on which the government had received petitions.

“We want to make it clear that Music House followed due process in the construction of the building and got relevant approvals from state departments and agencies associated with land and buildings.

“Saying that Music House complex is responsible for three accidents that occurred on the road in the last nine months is just an attempt by the commissioner to run away from his shadow. How can a reasonable person say that?

“It is not news that the governor himself said some politicians came to him to demolish the Music House complex because Ayefele is not in their camp and he also sang against them.”