Bola Tinubub

Former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Agagu are at war over alleged unauthorized certificate of occupancy to erect structure housing the broadcasting equipment of the Adaba 88.9fm station in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The two Oduduwa brothers decided to stare each other in the face over an October 6, 2008 directive said to have been issued by Governor Agagu that the Adaba fm station belonging to Tinubu should produce its certificate of occupancy within the next twelve days at its present location near the Federal Technology Akure or be demolished.

But former Governor Tinubu has been quoted as saying that “Agagu dares not touch any structure belonging to Adaba fm, if he does, we would expose all his ill-gotten investments in Lagos and have them demolished.

Sources told pointblanknews.com that the demand for Adaba’s C of O is only a smoke screen for the Agagu’s Administration to crack down on opposition media houses that continue to give access to political opponents in the state and that the story of how Tinubu and four other core investors in the Adaba fm projects would give better light on alleged increasing political intolerance in the state.

Olusegun Agagu

According to a close associate of Agagu, the Governor may not be aware that the land on which Adaba operates from was originally purchased by Senator Bode Olajumoke from a Princess of Ilara-Mokin back in 2005. Later the Ondo State Government decided to invite private estate developers and build a satellite town close to the radio station.

When Senator Olajumoke acquired the land in 2005 because of “partisan protectionism” and his membership of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, no sense of urgency was attached to a need for him to get a certificate of occupancy. It was Olajumoke who had the original intention of operating an approved radio station at the site. The National Broadcasting Corporation, NBC, had allotted him an operational license for the 88.3 fm station. Olajumoke built the radio station and installed state of the art equipments and operation was to off towards the late end of 2007.

But the tragic death of his son in 2007 was responsible for his change of heart in operating the radio station thus, Tinubu and four others whose identity could be ascertained as at press time decided to buy the project.

Upon take-off, principal professional executives were recruited. One of them was Mr. Ayo Omotosho, well known Television Journalist from the state. He was named the station’s Director of Programs. Another was Mr. Akinwale Oshodi who was named Director of Presentation.

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Omotosho was said to have failed to make full disclosure that he was still a government appointee to the board of Ondo State Water Corporation. The discovery by the Stations core investors led to a directive that he should either resign or be fired. After his exit from Adaba fm, Omotosho was said to have teamed up with the Chairman of Akure South Local Government, Hon. Adedayo Omolafe to begin an atrocious battle that thereafter made things uncomfortable for the management of the radio station.

According to sources, Omotosho was the one who allegedly snitched against Tinubu and co that the deed of ownership on the radio station site was inconclusive and that the opening could be exploited by Agagu to cow the operators into silence.

But a case of duplicity was established against Hon. Omolafe and the Akure South Local Government in that the council actively allowed its earth moving equipments to be used by Olajumoke in the construction of the station.

The Deji of Akure, Oba Adepoju Adeshina and the Akure council of chiefs were said to have tried to broker peace in the lingering crisis to no avail. Following the October 6, 2008 directive from Agagu that the radio station be demolished if the operators fail to tender a valid c of o within 12 days, Oba Adeshina was said to have cautioned Governor Agagu that he would be risking the possibility of scaring away investors from the state.

However, the operators of the radio station have said that their application for a c of o is with the state Government alleging that Governor was being vindictive.

A source close to Tinubu told Pointblanknews.com that Tinubu takes Agagu’s threat “as a mere joke and that the former Lagos State Governor has said that Agagu and his associate would only remember it as a bitter history that they were once in Government and that if Agagu dares to leave a scratch or a dent on any of Adaba’s building or equipment, we would expose him and his associates with all their ill-gotten investments.