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A governorship aspirant in Oyo state, Professor Adeolu Akande, has urged Governor Abiola Ajimobi to reconsider his stand on the demolition of Music House, Challenge, belonging to popular gospel musician, Yinka Ayefele.
Professor Akande in a press statement personally signed by him, said that “the furore generated by the demolition of the property of Mr Yinka Ayefele must have demonstrated to the government by now that it was an unpopular decision. Government is about the people and not the anger and emotions of the people in government.”
Akande, who teaches Political Science at Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, said: “I recall that the location of the building was at issue when the dualization of the Challenge-Toll Gate road was conceived by government about 2012 but the governor in his magnanimity directed that all government agencies involved must take measures to protect the building from demolition, even when some forces encouraged him to demolish the building. I plead that Governor Ajimobi should exhibit this same compassion in taking measures that will protect Mr Ayefele, protect private investment in the state, and restore public admiration for him instead of the present angst that pervades the state”.
He advised the state government to open discussion with Ayefele and find an amicable resolution of the dispute because the musician needs to be protected being “a valuable icon of our society”.
He said that Ayefele’s “rise to grace in spite of a major life challenge makes him a model for a good percentage of our people. As a musician, he has been the purveyor of joy and happiness to many of us because of his melodious and philosophical music. As a philanthropist, he is a great shield for hundreds of thousands of people. As the promoter of Fresh FM, he is a trustee of public thrust as the station has become the Voice of the Voiceless.”
He added: “The primary responsibility of any government is to protect lives and property. The sacredness of private property is second in importance only to that of the preservation of life.
“It is more painful that many of the personnel who encourage controversial government decisions and actions claim innocence in private conservations and never identified themselves with those decisions, even in public”. he regretted.
Akande also advised Governor Ajimobi to extend the same sense of compassion to the handling of subsisting issues of LAUTECH and other tertiary institutions in the state following the reduction in subvention to the institutions.