My pains, my sweat, Yinka Ayefele laments demolition of radio station

Nigerian gospel tungba singer Yinka Ayefele

Tungba gospel musician, Yinka Ayefele, has lamented the demolition of his Music House housing the radio station, Fresh FM, describing the structure as “my pains, my sweat”.

The building was demolished on Sunday morning to the shock and anguish of the singer’s fans and sympathisers, four days after a three-day demolition notice expired.

Writing on Facebook, the wheelchair-bound musician said: “Oyo state government did it at last. My pains, my sweat. So help me God.”

The state government had earlier marked the structure located on the Challenge-Toll Gate road, Ibadan for demolition for allegedly contravening the state’s planning laws.

Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Toye Arulogun, said in a statement on Wednesday that there was no going back on the planned demolition.

Ayefele responded by approaching an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan to stop the demolition.

His counsel, Olayinka Bolanle, in an ex parte motion filed before the court, sought for an order of the court restraining the state government from demolishing the property pending the determination of the suit.

Mr Bolanle stated that due process was followed in the construction of the structure while relevant approvals were obtained from the state’s departments and agencies associated with land and housing.

Justice I. Yerima, however, ordered the claimant to ensure service of the court process on the respondent and adjourned the case till Monday for the hearing of the motion.

The demolition was carried out in spite of the court process.