Ibadan-based gospel musician and broadcaster, Yinka Ayefele Wednesday said the road accident he had in 1997 was the turning point in his life.
He made the declaration at a press conference heralding the 10th anniversary of Fresh 105.9 FM held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council Secretariat, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
Present at the event include the Special Adviser on Media to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju; Oyo NUJ Chairman, Chief Ademola Babalola and a representative of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Alhaja Sherifat Mohammed -Koro.
The gospel musician who is the owner of the radio station, noted that his journey to stardom started when he bought a car from the money he realised from jungle production, stating that he used the money to buy a beetle car and he was involved in a road accident with the car in 1997.
Ayefele insisted that the road accident he was involved in 1997 was the turning point of his life, noting that he started the radio station from live streaming on Facebook and has never sack any of his staff in the last 10 years.
He said, “I worked at Radio Nigeria, Ibadan and was into jingle production. I bought a bettle car from the money I realised, had a road accident on my way to Abeokuta in Ogun State in 1997 with the car. It was in the road accident I had in 1997 I know that many people know about the story, so that was my turning point.
“It was on Facebook that I started live streaming and I realised that my fans outside Nigeria appreciate it. Thus I thought that I can have a radio station and that I can change the narrative and at the same time change the system of broadcasting.
“I started transmitting, then a time came that the NBC came, they bombarded my office with DSS and they said Mr. Ayefele, where is your licence and I said do I need a license. They said yes. I took me seven years before I was given the licence.
“Ranti Akerele started the journey. If they investigate owners of radio stations the same way I was investigated for seven years, I don’t think that most of the radio stations will exist today. My objective is to change the face of broadcasting in the country.
“I have never sack anyone in the last 10 years. The only one I did was when I advised one person to resign. Ajimobi was the first person to expose Fresh FM to the whole world. The day it happened, it was painful. BBC called me, CNN invited me. So, it was a blessing in disguise when the radion station was demolished. Ajimobi also rebuilt the station. It was when I went to the villa to meet former President, Goodluck Jonathan that his wife, Mama Patience asked me what I want and I told her that I want a radio license. So I want to thank them too.”
The NBC representative, Mohammed -Koro, in her remarks, advised radio stations to adhere to the rules and regulations guiding their operations, saying “we know that broadcast stations cannot do without violating the rules. But we encourage you to adhere to the rules.”
Kemi Olaitan
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