Oyo residents protest planned demolition of Ayefele’s house

Thousands of residents of Ibadan yesterday protested the planned demolition of Fresh FM Music House by the Oyo State government.

 The administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi had on Tuesday served demolition notice on the building owned by gospel music artist, Yinka Ayefele, for contravening town planning law. But the residents with different placards stormed the premises of the radio station located at Challenge protesting with placards to protest the three-day notice.

Meanwhile, Ayefele has approached an Ibadan High Court, seeking “an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Oyo State Government, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Attorney General of the state, Ministry of Environment and Habitat, K. I. Apanpa (Bureau on Physical Planning and Development Control), and Alhaji Waheed Gbadamosi (Chairman, Oyo State Task Force Committee on Demolition of Properties) from demolishing or attempting to demolish the property”.

According to the six-paragraph Motion on Notice filed on behalf of Ayefele by his counsel, Otunba Olayinka Bolanle, the demolition notice on the Yinka Ayefele Nigeria building, “is inconsistent with the provisions of Section 30(1), 32 (2) and 33 of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development Law 2012, and therefore invalid and a nullity”.

 Ayefele therefore prayed the court for an order “setting aside the defendants’ demolition order dated 13th August, 2018”. Justice Iyabo Yetima directed the defendants to be served with the motion and adjourned till Monday for the parties to be heard. But a Director in the company, David Ajiboye, and Head of the News Unit, Samson Akindele, appealed to Ajimobi to temper justice with mercy on the issue.