Oyo Govt. Makes U-turn, Says it’s Aware of Fresh FM Building Demolition

After several denial, the Oyo State government has taken responsibility for the demolition of the 800 Million Worth Music House belonging to Popular Musician Yinka Ayefele.

The Oyo State government countered it own lawyer defence that it did not know anything about the Sunday dawn demolition.

The government stated on Monday that it followed the necessary process for the demolition of the building belonging to the musician.

The government, which argued that no court restrained it from going ahead with the demolition, stated that it did the demolition for the sake of public interest.

The government had earlier on Monday, through it lawyer, told Justice Iyabo Yerima of the State High Court, that it was preparing to institute a panel of inquiry to unravel the identity of those who razed the N800m edifice.

In a twist of event, Mr. Waheed Gbadamosi, the Special Adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Physical Planning and Development Control, on Monday evening, at a press conference in Ibadan, revealed that the government availed the owner of the Music House the needed time to rectify his building plan.

Gbadamosi, who insisted that the government’s action was not politically motivated, added that  Ayefele was duly informed through several correspondences.

Gbadamosi said that it was established during a visit to the building that it encroached into the sight distance of the Y Junction along Lagelu Estate, stressing that a canteen, toilets, store, and powerhouse, which were not in the plan submitted, were attached to the wall fence.

He added that the mast erected and staircase on site were not included in the plan submitted, noting that the basement of the plan which was meant for car park had also been converted.

Gbadamosi said that a letter was sent to Music House on June 29, 2018, to submit a fresh building plan application that will reflect the existing structures on site and regularise the anomalies.

He further emphasized that the demolition of the building was not motivated by any form of sentiments saying contravention notices had been served to different organizations in the state since June 14, 2017.

He insisted that the building plan from Music House deviated from the approved plan, adding, “this made the approval null and void because a deceitful information was given to the approving authority.”