Tag: ayefele

WHEN he met with gospel musician and proprietor of Fresh FM radio station Yinka Ayefele in company with the Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, and other traditional rulers last Thursday over the state’s demolition of Music House, Governor Abiola Ajimobi found it difficult to dispel the notion that he ordered the demolition for political reasons. Fresh FM is owned by Mr Ayefele and it is located in the controversial and now partly demolished building in Ibadan. The building, according to state government officials, contravened building approval laws. It was partially brought down early last Sunday. Since then, the demolition has become deeply controversial, with Mr Ayefele feeling offended by both the short demolition notice he was given and the demolition itself, and the government sticking to its guns that it took the right steps to protect the interest of the public and the rule of law.

There are indications Mr Ayefele’s Music House contravened building approval and town planning laws, and the musician himself has quibbled somewhat in debunking the government’s arguments. But there are also indications that the government’s position was corrupted by extraneous considerations. Even if critics ignore Mr Ayefele’s allegations that that the demolition was politically motivated, the governor subsequently provided enough clues to corroborate that unseemly conclusion. The musician alleged that government officials had repeatedly complained about the harsh commentaries broadcast on Fresh FM, and had sought a cessation or amelioration of the apparently unfavourable commentaries. But so far, no one has provided proof, written or taped, to substantiate that allegation.

However, the ultimate proof that some politics might be involved in the controversy and the demolition was Mr Ajimobi’s response to Mr Ayefele’s observations during the conciliation meeting attended by the aforesaid traditional rulers. The Nigerian Tribune newspaper quoted the governor as saying the following: “Basically, he (Ayefele) has stated his case and I then agreed that I will let my people discuss with him. Let them see areas of conflict and look for the possibility of reconciliation. But above all, I told him that any entrepreneur must always be, at worst, neutral when it comes to politics. They should not venture into political arena. They should be the friends of all and work with all.” It is not clear where Mr Ajimobi got the impression that an entrepreneur must be apolitical, let alone a media establishment, or which law or constitution prohibits politicking by any entrepreneur, and which law empowers a political leader to demand what the law and constitution do not demand.

Mr Ajimobi is not often diplomatic in his statements, nor, as it became evident from the interview he granted the BBC Yoruba Service, clever in judging the mood and the moment. He may have a good case in enforcing state building codes and laws, and may in fact be right in the case of the Music House demolition. But he is poor at reading the mood of his state, judging their sentiments, and speaking rightly to the occasion. He was probably shocked to see the spontaneous outpouring of love and empathy for Mr Ayefele and the massive condemnation of the actions of an unfeeling governor and government. Had he been an astute judge of people and events; had he recognised he would be leaving office in a few months and needed to leave a robust legacy; had he recognised how badly his meddling in Ibadan traditional chiefs matter resonated with the Oyo people; and had he realised he had never been a good manager of crises when his authority and the state are challenged by protests, he would have been less eager to get entangled in the manner he did in a matter involving a young and enterprising musician who had risen to be an icon in the state and beyond.

Mr Ayefele may also have deliberately milked public sentiment over a matter he could have sorted out less publicly and acrimoniously, but it is hard to reprimand him for suspecting that the ultimate goal of the state government was to whittle down the influence and objectivity of his radio station. He can hardly be faulted for conflating the editorial independence of Fresh FM with the contravention of building and town planning laws. He imagined that had he toned down the views aired on his radio station the demolition would not have happened. However, the public will always side with Mr Ayefele, right or wrong, and the governor should have seen that coming, if he cared. In pursuing the demolition of Music House in the public interest, the circumstances surrounding Mr Ayefele as a popular musician and physically challenged entrepreneur who surmounted great obstacles to be even deserving of national honour should have prompted the governor to reach some accommodation with him outside public glare, and possibly to even offer to bear the cost of redressing the contravention. It is hard to see anyone opposing the governor had he chosen that altruistic option. He would have killed two birds with one stone and helped in great measure to mend public view of him as a callous leader incapable of judging the moment.