Oyo state government, at a press conference on Monday, has narrated the events that led to the demolition of Yinka Ayefele‘s Music House, which also houses his radio station Fresh FM, in Ibadan.
TheCable reports that Special Adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Physical Planning, Waheed Gbadamosi said that no court order restrained the government from carrying out its “statutory role”.
The demolition was not politically motivated or an act of vendetta, Gbadamosi said, adding that the government duly informed the organisation before carrying out the action.
He said:
On May 19, 2017, letters demanding for planning approval were sent to various institutions including University College Hospital, Kola Daisi University, University of Ibadan and other institutions and organisatons. On June 14, 2017, request for approval was sent to Music House and 22 other radio stations in Oyo State.
On August 18, 2017 reminder Letter was sent to Music House and the letter was received by Adebisi Akinkunmi. On August 25, 2017 we went a step further to send a letter to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) titled Operation of Radio Stations without Physical Planning permit/Approval in Oyo State. Few months later, precisely November 27, 2017, another letter was sent to NBC complaining about Physical Planning Law and Regulations by the Radio station owners, developers and operators.
We got a response from NBC on December 4, 2017 and NBC said that the issue is outside its mandate. This is to show that the action of the state government is not to witch-hunt anyone as we even reported the radio stations to NBC. We also wrote to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on some banks contravening the Oyo State Physical Planning and Development Control laws, sections 30, 31 and 32 of the Oyo State Physical Planning and Urban Development Law of 2012.
Music house submitted a building plan on June 14, 2018 which necessitated the joint inspection visit we carried out on June 25, 2018. It was discovered that it was meant to be an office complex and not a radio station among some other infractions including a building size measured 29.7 metres by 21.6 metres on ground as against the 11.925metres by 10.20metres in the survey plan/building plan submitted by Music House.
Gbadamosi said that “deceitful information was given to the approving authority and also deviation from the approval granted both in construction and use.”
He added that because Music House did not follow the approved plan, the approval has become null and void.