The proprietor of Fresh FM radio, Yinka Ayefele, has described as untrue, comments from an official of a government that the demolished Music House was not approved to host the radio station.
Ayefele, who spoke at a news conference in Ibadan, on Monday evening, said two studios were in the building plan submitted to the government and approved over 10 years, precisely on June 6, 2008.
The gospel artiste, who fought back tears while addressing journalists, also disclosed how his wife knelt down for four hours, begging Governor Abiola Ajimobi to rescind his decision.
“My wife was with the governor till around 3:00 a.m on Saturday. She was able to meet the governor and he assured her that the building will not be demolished and as an assurance, when she was leaving, the governor gave her $1, 000.
“I would have gone with her but I had been hospitalised a day after the three days demolition notice was given to us by the government. There is no defence for this vindictive and politically motivated destruction of a thriving business in a city that needs economic and job opportunities for its citizens,” Ayefele said.
On the accusation from the government that he shunned a letter requesting a regularisation of the building plan, he said his architects were already working on a new plan before the bulldozers were rolled in to pull down the edifice.
“In the approved plan of the music house, we requested an approval for a business complex with proposed two studios and the plan was approved. The building is more than 10 years. Are they now saying that a radio license which costs several million to obtain is not a business venture?
“They did not only demolish the building, our recently acquired broadcast equipment worth N28 million was equally damaged. We are still putting the cost (of the damage) together.
“The demolition notice they brought was three days. There is a confirmation that the state government is responsible for the demolition as against what their counsel said in court.
“We have relocated our studio and Fresh FM is fully back on the air. It is only the NBC that can stop us from broadcasting Fresh FM is a small business that should be encouraged and not destroyed,” he said.
