Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State visited the Fresh FM headquarters in Ibadan on Friday evening, following a fire that severely damaged parts of the station. Upon arriving at the station around 7:30 p.m., Makinde expressed his heartfelt sympathy to Dr. Olayinka Ayefele, the chairman of Fresh FM, and the station’s management team.
In a statement released on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Makinde acknowledged the gravity of the situation and described the incident as a wake-up call for the state government regarding emergency management and fire response. The governor emphasized that the fire would prompt a thorough review of the Oyo State Fire Service’s capabilities to ensure faster and more effective responses in the future.
While commiserating with the station, Makinde expressed his relief that no lives were lost in the inferno, and reassured the management of Fresh FM that the state government would provide necessary support to help the station get back on air as quickly as possible. “We won’t let the station remain off-air for long. It plays a vital role in keeping our people informed,” he stated.
The fire damaged key areas of the station, including the Fresh FM and Blast FM studios, the newsroom, transmitter room, and offices of the station’s management. Despite the setback, Ayefele expressed his gratitude for the governor’s swift visit, calling it a testament to his leadership. He also thanked the first responders and the station’s supporters, both locally and internationally, for their assistance and encouragement.
The governor vowed to meet with the leadership of the Oyo State Fire Service to address shortcomings in the service’s response time, suggesting that better-equipped fire stations could have mitigated the damage. He concluded by reassuring Fresh FM that the state government would continue to offer assistance during the rebuilding process, ensuring that the station remains operational for the people of Oyo State.
