Popular entertainment phenom and OAP, Olisa Adibua has allegedly assaulted and severely injured a member of staff at the Lagos radio station, Beat FM/Naija FM, on Thursday, September 8, 2011.
We’ve been told the victim Adewunmi Oyekanmi, who works as a night editor at Naija FM, sister station to BEAT FM and Classic FM, suffered injuries to the head, face and body.
Adewunmi, sources say, was lying on the couch in the office to catch a nap in the wee hours of the fateful Thursday morning, having finished his duties.
Sighting the ‘body’, a livid Olisa pounced on the sleeping man with blows, allegedly going as far as using foreign objects to cause damage. The radio OAP and Programmes Director is said to have then thrown Oyekanmi out of the premises after destroying his phone and ripping his clothes. This was about 3am.
The victim, as well as several other sources confirm this to us, providing pictures, and incident details; while an undercover reporter had a recorded conversation (transcript below) with the victim.
The management has since stepped in- ensuring the victim gets treatment and taking disciplinary measures against Adibua. He was yanked off his usual morning show- The Morning Rush the following day (Friday September 9) as colleagues Fade and Douglas co-hosted the show. Adibua’s regular co-host Oreka Goddis, who’s currently a judge on Peak Talent Show, was away in Abuja.
Even though Olisa Adibua was actively at work last night; as compere at ‘The Beat of Lagos’ which held at Landmark Village in Oniru, Lagos, sources at the station tell us Adibua has been placed on an ‘indefinite’ suspension. Industry colleagues are, however, still peeved; hoping he’ll be shown the way out – permanently.
Some say it’s not the first time he’s assaulting junior colleagues, telling us he has verbally assaulted at least two staff members before now, including a married female staff of Classic FM, last year.
At least three OAPs at the Megalectrics-owned stations refused to comment when we contacted them, Friday. But one very senior staff, who pleaded for anonymity, ‘regretted’ the ‘very unfortunate event’; telling us the employee handbook is clear on office violence. Such staff, he says, according to the handbook, are to be dismissed.
A touching broadcast message sent early Friday by an aggrieved OAP from a government owned radio station, speaks loud enough: ‘Hi! The guy on my DP is Dewunmi…he works with a media house in Lagos. He was beaten to a pulp by his boss whose initials are O.A 2 days ago in the office. Please say no to battery and if you like pass it on till his station hears and fights for him. I will give you more details if you want’.
Another visibly upset OAP wrote on her twitter account @bukihq: ‘Where r our labour laws and who enforces them. Who protects d average Nigerian who doesn’t mind being beat up as long as he still has a job… An employee who is more afraid of losing his job than reporting assault – and how much is he being paid?…‘
She continues: ‘If it is not racism, then when a fellow Nigerian picks on another just cos he is a “big man” and above the law, what is it called?…Meanwhile what do you think will happen to him honestly if he reports this case? Its easy to tweet that he should – will u employ him?‘
Speaking with the General Manger at BEAT FM Deji Awokoya about the incident, the gentleman played down the news claiming no such incident took place. ‘It’s not true. There was nothing of such that happened here. It’s probably a rumour’, Awokoya hastily said in a telephone conversation.
Calls made to Olisa’s mobile by our reporters weren’t received or returned, however the Storm boss and GloNaija Sings resident judge responded to our SMS enquiry over the incident. The accused Olisa threatened legal actions should our reporter publish the ‘rumour’.
Adewunmi was sent to the hospital with a paltry sum of N15, 000 given by the station Accountant. He has worked at the radio house for fifteen months. Olisa on the other hand has 21years television, radio and filming experience. He’s Director of Programmes at Megalectrics; owners of BEAT, Classic and Naija FM.
He’s also Director and co-owner of STORM 360 as well as a Resident Judge on the on-going Glo NaijaSings talent show.
We could not immediately confirm if the victim will be placing charges or if the case has been reported to the police.
Olisa Adibua joined Beat FM as pioneer Programmes Director, months after he was unceremoniously fired from Cool FM in 2008. Although we can confirm he was later recalled to Cool, he declined the offer choosing instead, to wait for the kick-off of Beat FM.
Beat FM, Naija FM and Classic FM are owned by Chris Ubosi’s company Megaletrics LTD.
Several OAPs told us, anonymously, that they’re waiting ‘to see where this matter will end’.
Below is a transcript of Adewunmi’s account of the Thursday incident as narrated over phone to an undercover investigative reporter:
‘I had already finished my work. It was about 2am and I was asleep on the couch. Not that he can beat me but just because I didn’t want to raise my hand on my boss, I allowed him. He brought a stone from downstairs came back and hit it on my head. Ali (a colleague) was trying to stop him but he threatened to sack him. Everybody’s crossed with me now that I didn’t raise my hand. I could have passed on from sleep. I was dazed. I know the GM must have seen everything recorded on the camera (CCTV) when he resumed in his office in the morning. He (GM) was just begging me. I’ve been here one year and three months and I’ve never had any problem with anybody. That’s why everybody is shocked that it’s Dewunmi because they hardly hear my voice.
He (Olisa) can’t apologise now. He’s the boss. Someone went to meet him to say I’m injured but he didn’t say anything, he just left. I’ll just take it like that. He (Olisa) told me to go and call anybody I like that he will show me. He has shown me that I know nobody. I’ve left him in the hand of God. GM told him this morning that he’s wrong. I’m not going to tell the police, talk to the papers or go to court because of the image of the company. Let him go and settle with God. He’s a boss. He has everything more than me. He has money and that’s what he’s trying to show me.
He smashed my phone on the ground. I borrowed this one from someone. Someone packed the pieces (of my phone) into a polythene bag for me and I’ve given it to the Accountant as evidence. I only took my SIM and that’s why I can use it now. My phone was on the couch.He tore my clothes into shred. It was one of the drivers that gave me the shirt I wore to the hospital. I don’t know if he was drunk. And it was in a corporate environment. This was before 3am in the morning. We have never had an issue before. He even threw me out of the premise. I slept in one of the Keke Marwa’s parked outside the office. I later came in about 5.30, 6am when other people were beginning to arrive. He treated me like a common thief. I was going to wait till 6, 7am when the day’s bright so I could go home.
They said they would take care of my medical expenses and buy my clothes back. I said they shouldn’t worry. When I was going to the hospital the financial director gave me N15, 000 to treat myself and I collected it. He said there was no money bla bla. It’s because I’m not an influential person. I’ll never forget the incident. I know God will fight for me in his own way. People were more disappointed because I’m an easy-going person.
Douglas was around but he didn’t say a word. I feel he was the one who called Olisa to tell him I was sleeping on the couch because up till now he hasn’t said sorry to me. I’ll take care of myself and resume on Sunday. I know the news will suffer today now because there’ll be no one to edit it…
I appreciate this call a lot. God bless you in Jesus name.’
click the link below to go to…
Olisa Adibua Batters Junior Colleague, Goes On Suspension.
https://www.nigeriafilms.com/news/13560/23/huh-olisa-adibua-batters-colleague.html.
