Oyo State Governor, Abiola AJimobi, has come under serious criticisms following the demolition of Yinka Ayefele’s ‘Music House’ .
Officials from the Oyo state Ministry of Works backed by the Police stormed the building as early as 4:30 AM on Sunday, August 19, and demolished the property estimated to be worth over 800 Million Niara.
Passersby and onlookers were shocked, as a bulldozer pulled down the property which housed the disabled entertainer’s Fresh FM and other business concerns.
In the past weeks, the building along Challenge, Ibadan, Oyo state, has been a subject of serious speculations, as many wondered if the state government was indeed going to demolish it, as it had said.
Ayefele had been informed by the state government that his building was on the right of way and that it contravenes urban and physical planning laws of the state. The government also said that the building violated the originally approved building plan because it is “structurally defective (and) poses danger or constitutes a nuisance to the occupier or the general public”.
Toye Arulogun, Oyo State Commissioner for Information, said the state government had also received petitions detailing about three accidents that took place around the building.
The government had served the management of the building a notice of demolition which expired August 15, however, the singer had approached a court to restrain the state government from carrying out its plan alleging victimization.
With the case said to be in court, many where surprised to hear that the government had partly pulled down the building.
Presently, questions as to the safety of properties of personal properties in the state are being pondered on, as people wondered why the state government took the line of action.
There have been speculations about Ayefele’s party loyalty being questioned. Some say that the governor was not really comfortable with political affiliations.
Interestingly, two year ago in a radio broadcast, Ajimobi was quoted saying that he had no reason to demolish Ayefele’s Music House.
In the broadcast, he also revealed how he was allegedly told to demolish the building shortly after he was elected governor of the state.
In the 2016 broadcast, aired by Fresh FM, Mr Ajimobi revealed that he was asked to demolish the building during his first term as governor because the radio station and the owner were not in support of his political aspirations.
He said, “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. 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. Ayefele is beside me now and I pray the business will keep flourishing.”
Commenting further, Ajimobi described the radio station as the best in Oyo State.
“Without any equivocation, I must confess that this radio station is the best in Oyo State,” the governor said.
For many, it is shocking that the governor changed his mind and took his adviser’s advice.
Reacting to the demolition exercise, Ayefele took to his verified Facebook page to lament the incident. The musician, who arrived the scene of the demolition shortly after the exercise began, wrote: “Oyo state government did at last……my pains my sweat ….So help me God.”
Reactions have not been forthcoming from both the state government and its Commissioner of Information Arulogun since the demolition.
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