Nigerian gospel musician and radio boss, Yinka Ayefele, has said that since the creation of Fresh 105.9 FM a decade ago, he has not dismissed any member of his staff.
Naijaonpoint reports that he revealed this during the 10th anniversary celebration of Fresh FM.
The father of three explained how his determination and passion for broadcasting shaped the station’s success.
Ayefele recalled that his career path changed completely after the 1997 car accident that left him confined to a wheelchair.
Before then, he worked with Radio Nigeria in Ibadan, producing jingles and using his earnings to buy his first car.
The tragic accident, he said, became the turning point that pushed him into building something greater.
The musician shared that Fresh FM began as a simple live-streaming experiment on Facebook, which attracted huge support from listeners abroad.
The positive response encouraged him to turn it into a full-fledged radio station that now has branches in different cities across Nigeria.
He narrated how obtaining the station’s broadcast licence took seven years and how he once faced harassment from security operatives who questioned the station’s legitimacy.
Speaking about his leadership style, Ayefele said that he believes in patience and teamwork, revealing that in ten years, he has never fired any employee.
The closest he ever came was advising one worker to resign on personal grounds.
Ayefele also spoke about the 2018 demolition of his Music House by the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s administration, describing it as an event that unexpectedly brought international attention to him and his brand.
He said that the incident later turned into a blessing when the government helped rebuild the structure.
He went on to express gratitude to former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife for their support during the early days of securing Fresh FM’s licence, saying their encouragement contributed to the station’s survival and growth.
He said: “I worked at Radio Nigeria, Ibadan, producing jingles. I used the money I earned to buy a Beetle car, and on my way to Abeokuta in 1997, I had a terrible accident. That incident changed my life completely.
“I started live streaming on Facebook, and my fans outside Nigeria loved it. That gave me the idea to start a radio station to change the face of broadcasting.
“It took me seven years to get the licence. If other radio station owners were investigated like I was, many wouldn’t exist today.
“I have never sacked anyone in the last 10 years. The only time I did something close was advising one person to resign.
“The demolition brought global attention. BBC and CNN called me. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because Ajimobi later rebuilt the station.”
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