Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, has accepted a public apology from the management of Ibadan-based radio station, Fresh FM, over a broadcast falsely naming him as a co-owner of the state’s central abattoir.
The acceptance came in a press statement released by the governor’s special adviser on communication and strategy, Mr Bolaji Tunji, on Tuesday.
Abiola Ajimobi, who described Ayefele as his son, said he was forced to seek legal redress to clear his name and reputation following the claims of the studio analyst, Dare Adekanmbi, that he has written proof of his accusation.
The governor said, “To err is human and to forgive is divine. I have forgiven Fresh FM, the station’s chairman and management. I have also forgiven the presenter of the programme, Isaac Brown and Dare Adekanmbi, who pronounced the slander.
“I’m a firm believer of investigative journalism. But, I frown upon the attitude of journalists who conjure innuendoes, libels, slander and outright falsehood and present them to the public as exclusive stories.
“Sometimes, I wonder whether they consider the incalculable damage they do to the person being targeted. It took years to build a name and reputation, but it does not take more than a stroke of a careless pen or unguarded mouth to destroy.
“I would not have taken the matter seriously if not that the said analyst insisted that he had sufficient proof to back up his slander and unguarded utterances against me. I wanted to give him and Fresh FM the opportunity to expose me if they have any iota of fact to substantiate their falsehood,” the statement read in parts.
In November 2018, the Oyo State Government commenced the reconstruction of Fresh FM.
Named Music House, the building was partially demolished on August 19 over what the government claimed was an infringement of urban development guidelines.
The demolition was widely condemned, forcing Governor Abiola Ajimobi to host Ayefele to a meeting at his office in the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan.
