Human rights activist, Mr. Femi Aborisade, has called on Nigerians to carry out a mass protest against the Government of Oyo State over the destruction of the Music House in Ibadan, Oyo State, by the state government.
Music House is owned by popular musician, Yinka Ayefele.
The government said the erection of the building contravened the law of the state.
But reacting to the demolition, Aborisade while condemning the action of the state government said the more disturbing aspect of the exercise was the utter contempt in which the Oyo State Government held the judiciary in a long line of cases.
He said from reports, it was gathered that Ayefele had served on the Oyo State Government an application, seeking interlocutory orders of the court restraining the government from giving effect to its threats to demolish the building.
“Painfully, it has become the culture of the Oyo State Government to be lawless. At least, two previous instances of demolitions in similar circumstances of the recent demolition of the Music House can be cited: Temidire Plant Market was demolished despite subsisting Court orders restraining demolition and the land was allocated to private developers; Bodija market abattoir was demolished during the pendency of a law suit involving the abattoir.”
While stating that the resort to self help by the government was condemnable, Aborisade called on Nigerians to support Ayefele and his radio station, Fresh FM which operated in Music House.
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His words: “We are not helpless in the face of tyranny. Fresh FM of Yinka Ayefele has come under attack because it has been asking questions on behalf of ordinary people and acting as the voice of the voiceless. This is the time for ordinary people to tell Fresh FM that it is not alone. This kind of solidarity in struggle can be built by peaceful mass actions to protest the wicked and unconscionable demolition of Fresh FM which also has the implication of throwing members of staff and other freelance journalists who broadcast programmes from that station into economic agony.
“I call on the masses of our people to organise and join peaceful mass actions, demanding that the Oyo State Government should fully compensate Fresh FM/Yinka Ayefele for demolishing the Music House in an attempt to render whatever the decision of the court nugatory.
“Lawyers, individually and collectively through their associations, must join and/or lead mass actions in defence of the judiciary against rascals, gangsters and misfits in the corridor of power. Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, guarantees the right of peaceful mass action for the protection of interests and sanity in the governance process.
“We also call on the judiciary in Nigeria as a whole and in Oyo State in particular, to protect the challenge to the authority and jurisdiction of the Court in dispute resolution to prevent anarchy and total breakdown of law and order, which would result when parties demonstrate utter disrespect for the judicial process. The politicians should not be allowed to continue to ridicule the judiciary. We must insist that Nigeria must be built as a country of laws, not a lawless society.”
