Renowned
broadcaster, Edmund Obilo, had just aired an interview that exposed how the Alaafin
of Oyo, and the Oyo State governor, had allegedly been sharing the money
belonging to the state, under the guise of fake contracts. A Nigerian House of
representatives member, Kamil Akinlabi reveals this secret on “Bull’s Eye,” a
popular radio interview programme, anchored by Mr. Obilo.
The
management of the Ibadan-based Splash FM, had shortly afterwards fired one of
their best broadcasters, Mr. Edmund Obilo, on Friday on the request of the Oyo
State governor, Mr. Abiola Ajimobi.
Mr.
Obilo has been consistently exposing corruption, and the failure of leadership
to stop, or investigate that corruption in Oyo State, under the present
administration. This has made Mr. Ajimobi and his cronies to force the owner of
the FM Station, Chief Adebayo Akande, to fire Mr. Obilo
Mr.
Obilo had anchored different programmes, such as “VOICES,” "Bull’s
Eye," and "Economic Search Light." These were noted platforms
where activists and ordinary citizens are invited to express their views and
opinions on national issues.
Recently, Mr, Obilo drew an ire of the governor after the interview that linked
him and his wife to Mr. Mukaila aka Auxiliary, a notorious National Union Of
Road Transport Workers (NURTW) thug who is currently standing trial for murder
and gun running.
In
addition, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance recently claims Oyo
State government received the huge sum of 100 billion naira in 2013 of which
there is no project in Oyo State to justify the amount received.
Today,
Oyo State is broke, to the extent that the government cannot afford to pay
workers’ salaries on time. Mr. Ajimobi had been fingered in many shady deals,
including a private refineries built in Lebanon with stolen funds.
Here
goes the controversial interview with Honourable Kamil
Akinlabi by Edmund Obilo.
From the way you sound, it seems you have declared war on
the palace?
The palace has declared war on me.
The palace has declared war on you?
Yes
And you are ready for that war?
Yes, I am prepared for that war and
I will face it.
You are ready to fight it to the last?
Not even to the last, but I will
fight to win.
You want to fight the Alaafin?
Look, let me tell you, there are
certain things that are not expected of a traditional ruler.
And what are those things?
Those things are that a traditional
ruler must not be a hardened criminal.
Did you say the Alaafin is a criminal?
Yes, he is.
Honourable Kamil, did you say the Alaafin is a criminal?
Yes, yes because I have
incontrovertible evidence.
What are you trying to say?
I have incontrovertible evidence that
Alaafin wants to assassinate me. I have reported it. That is a source of investigation;
I will not go into that here.
Alaafin want to assassinate you?
Yes
Honourable Kamil?
Yes, just for his son to be a member
of the House of Representatives.
You’re talking about the Alaafin here?
Yes.
The King of Oyo?
Yes
The man you have worked with for over the years?
Look, let me tell you everybody in
the palace knew what was happening.
At what point did you fall out with the Alaafin?
At the point I felt, .. I did not
know anything and he would have been the chief mourner, if the plot had succeeded.
We have been silent these days, because we wanted to separate the person from
the office and that is why we have been keeping quiet. But now that they have
come to the public domain, once you naked yourself in the public, several
people are bound to see your nakedness. And we are ready to expose him.
When did you fall out with the Alaafin?
Let me tell you what happened,
immediately after the election the Governor gave us some positions, that we
should put our people. I said no problem. Younis Akintunde became the Commissioner
for Works.
Yes?
And before he even became Commissioner,
he has been servicing the palace.
When you say servicing, how do you mean?
He has been bringing money to the
Palace.
OK
When he became commissioner, he
started doing it in greater proportion. So I did not know. Why Kabiyesi started
a stupid move on how to remove him. There is no point or argument as to
removing him or not, because it was an appointment.
It was Alaafin that chose him as commissioner?
Yes. And he is free to remove him, but
in removing him, you need not lie. All of a sudden we discovered that, he
started lying that Younis did not bring anything to the Palace. Eventually the man
was removed. And I asked him, that Kabiyesi, that position was given to you to
honour you. You could have just told the Governor, look for irreconcilable
differences you want the man changed instead of lying. You have killed that
man.
When you say lying, is it true that Younis Akintunde was
removed for collecting money from contractors and not remitting to the Palace?
No.
What is the lying you are talking about?
The lying I was talking about, is
what you just said. There was nothing like that.
He did not collect any money?
The money they gave Younis Akintunde
to give to him, Younis gave it to him. I was not in the
country; he called me himself that Younis
brought so so amount of money, that when I come
back he will decide what to do with
the money.
How much are you looking at?
I think it was about $130,000 or
there about. N18 million naira.
We are talking about government fund here?
It is not about Government fund. It
was a kind of a contract that was awarded in the
name of Alaafin. And alaafin sold
it. The proceed was what Younis took to him and
he did not even say thank you to the Governor.
When the Governor saw him, he pretended
that nothing happened and started telling lies
that Younis did not bring anything.
NB: National Enquirer is on the
course of investigating the matter especially the National Broadcasting
Commission angle, it is unacceptable to sack the presenter over the interview
and we shall let you have the full reports.
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