Popular gospel musician and broadcaster, Yinka Ayefele, has described the road accident he suffered in 1997 as the turning point in his life and career.
Ayefele made the revelation on Wednesday at a press conference marking the 10th anniversary of Fresh 105.9 FM, held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
Dignitaries present at the event included the Special Adviser on Media to Oyo State Governor, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju; the Oyo NUJ Chairman, Chief Ademola Babalola; and a representative of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Alhaja Sherifat Mohammed-Koro.
Recounting his journey, Ayefele said he began his career in jingle production at Radio Nigeria, Ibadan, and used the proceeds to buy a Volkswagen Beetle car. It was with that car, he said, that he was involved in a life-changing accident in 1997 while travelling to Abeokuta, Ogun State.
“I had a road accident on my way to Abeokuta in 1997 with the Beetle car I bought from my earnings. That accident was my turning point — many people know the story,” he said.
Ayefele revealed that his broadcasting journey began with live streaming on Facebook, which attracted a growing audience from outside Nigeria. Inspired by the response, he decided to establish Fresh FM, envisioning a radio station that would “change the narrative and system of broadcasting” in the country.
He recounted the challenges of securing a broadcasting licence, explaining that it took seven years before approval was granted by the NBC. “If owners of other radio stations were investigated the way I was, many of them might not exist today,” he said.
The Fresh FM founder also highlighted his management philosophy, stating that in the past decade, he has never sacked any employee, except one who was advised to resign.
Ayefele recalled the demolition of Fresh FM’s building during the administration of the late former Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, describing the incident as “a blessing in disguise” that eventually gave the station global attention. “BBC and CNN called me, and the story went worldwide. Ajimobi later rebuilt the station,” he said.
He expressed gratitude to former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience Jonathan, for supporting his dream of establishing a radio station.
In her remarks, NBC representative Alhaja Sherifat Mohammed-Koro urged broadcast stations to comply with the rules and regulations guiding their operations. “We know that broadcast stations cannot operate without occasional violations, but we encourage strict adherence to the rules,” she said.
