For the records: Impunity of residents leadership against broadcasting station

Text of a press briefing by the CEO  Metropolitan Broadcasting Services Limited, Deacon Owolabi Oladejo FCA on the impunity of the leadership of the Kolapo  Isola GRA residents association blocking the exit gate of the organization.

Gentlemen of the Press, We have invited you here this morning to brief you on the atrocious act committed on our premises by the residents of the Kolapo Ishola GRA.

Impact House, a commercial building located at Kolapo Isola Estate, houses Impact Business Radio (IBR 92.5FM) a.k.a. Amutajero and Impact Africa Television (IATV), among others.

 The building is designed and built for a specific purpose. The design and building process was duly approved by the relevant authorities. For security and other emergency reasons, given the size of the building, the number of employees, caliber of our usual guests and visitors, and the purpose of Impact House, it is a requirement for such a building to have at least 2 means of exits; regular and emergency exits. The emergency exit must be located as far away as practical from other exit routes. This will ease the evacuation of employees and other occupants in the building in case of an emergency; reduce the risk should any of the usual pathways be blocked by fire, smoke, or where for any other reason(s) it becomes unsafe to get out through the normal exit.

In conformity with international building standards and following the approval given by the regulatory authorities Impact House has two regular exit routes in front and an emergency exit at the back. The emergency exit at the back of the building leads to a road inside Kolapo Isola Estate.

On Friday, 13th May 2022, we observed that some people have erected a wall to seal up our exit gate. We contacted Barrister Lekan Thanni, the Chairman of, Kolapo Isola GRA Resident Association. We were made to understand that they sealed up our premises for the security of the community especially because a “big man” reside inside the estate. We were never contacted. We consider the sealing up of our exit gate as trespass and violation without our consent; an audacity of impunity. In search of peace, we contacted some elders of the association. A meeting was called for Saturday 14th May, but Barrister Thanni did not attend the meeting. We pulled the wall at the advice of some elders.

As a law-abiding and peace-loving organisation, we ensure all the facilities on this premises are duly approved by the necessary arms of the government in charge. The building plan with the emergency gate is duly approved by the Ministry of Lands and Housing and the Town Planning authorities. The Federal Fire Service duly approved the provision of the emergency exit gate. The security agencies approved the location of the exit gate.

We, therefore, wonder why the Residents Association of the Kolapo Ishola GRA will want to take the law into their hands and believe it can do anything with the backing of one big man.

 Having been transmitting from this place for seven years, there has at no time been any security breach on, or from the premises. The place has regular day and night security guards and is covered 24/7 by Close Circuit Television (CCTV). Again, on Sunday, 17th July 2022, the Association, led by Barrister Thanni led his team to erect a blockade on our emergency exit gate. We have reported this matter to security agencies including the officials of the Department of State Security (DSS). We were again advised to pull down the wall erected to block our emergency exit.

It was therefore a surprise to us that even after the leaders of the Residents Association of the GRA had been told to desist from doing anything to block our emergency gate they still came on the morning of Saturday 24th September at about 9.00 am to carry out their nefarious act. They were accosted by the staff of the organisation and they retreated to restrategise. They brought a hyab truck with a container around 10 pm. They padlocked and barricaded our emergency exit gate with a huge container. We do not know the content of the container.

As political activities begin full blast this week, we wonder who and who and who is after the station.

 What is our offense to warrant this recklessness that will put the lives of our staff and guests in danger? For how long shall this impunity be allowed to stand? Can a Residents Association be more powerful than the laws of the land? We hereby plead with the government of His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde to call the Residents Association to order and ensure the siege on IMPACT HOUSE is lifted.

Who is after Impact Business Radio or is it Impact Africa Television? Certainly, this audacity of impunity must not, and should not be allowed or continued no matter how highly placed those behind it are.

This is our S.O.S. to the good people of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, and the whole world.

I thank you for listening.

Owolabi Oladejo, FCA

Founder/CEO

IMPACT GROUP

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