Three months after the demolition of Yinka Ayefele’s Fresh FM Music House, the Oyo State government has begun the reconstruction of the property in Ibadan.
Officials from both the government and the company confirmed the development to our correspondent.
The special adviser to the governor on communication and strategy, Bolaji Tunji, in a statement, said the government’s intervention was informed by the acknowledgement of contravention of the state building code by the management of the Music House and the personal appeal by Mr Ayefele to the governor, Abiola Ajimobi.
“Following Mr Ayefele’s admittance of breach of procedures in the construction of the building and his subsequent apologies, as well as the intervention of well-meaning members of the public, the governor agreed to tamper justice with mercy,” said the spokesperson.
“The governor’s approval on the reconciliation of the issue was communicated to Mr Ayefele on October 19, 2018, where His Excellency also approved the assistance on the reconciliation agreed upon on compassionate grounds, as he earlier promised publicly.
“It is necessary to put it on records that the governor or the state government was not out to witch-hunt the popular musician or anybody, but had acted to safeguard members of the public who daily ply the roads contiguous to the Music House,” the statement further highlighted.
The head of news at Fresh FM radio, Ibadan, Samson Akindele, also said, “After all the meetings and agreements, the ministry of works in Oyo state through the office of the permanent secretary and the commissioner came in to start fulfilling the promise of reconstruction two weeks ago.”
A part of the building was demolished in August, warranting an outcry that the exercise was a result of the seeming anti-Ajimobi posture of the radio station.
