An Ibadan-based ace broadcaster, Dr. Kola Ladoke, has raised the alarm over threats to his life from some suspected political kingpins.
Ladoke an household name in the broadcast industry as a popular Yoruba OAP recently left his former place of work where he spent 16years for a newly established radio station, Honor FM.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday in Ibadan, Ladoke said the suspected assailants were oblivious that he had since left the station which they (suspected kingpins) claimed aired opposing jingles and news items suspected to be against their political interest.
Ladoke, who is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Honor FM, said he received the threats to his life, lives of his children and that of his wife on March 3, 2023 via a phone call. But the caller hide his number.
He told journalists that he received the strange call at about 19:00 hours of the day along Odo-Ona Kekere area of Ibadan.
According to him, the caller threatens that his (Ladoke) life would be terminated if he continued to air opposition parties jungles on his station.
He stated further that the unknown caller, suspected to be political tout, also threatened to inflict him with unbearable injury if he continued to do so.
Ladoke said: “I received a strange call on March 3, 2023, at about 7pm, threatening my life. The person hide his number and said all the news items being used for opposition parties on our station should be discontinued, otherwise my life would be terminated.
“I told the caller that he called a wrong number that I have since left the station in question but he said he knew me and that my name is Kola Ladoke. He said he knew my house, the school my children attend, my movement and that of my wife.
“At this point, I knew that the call was meant for me. I was trying to explain to him that I was no longer with the station he was referring to.
“I tried in vain to counsel him that all the news items and the jingles that were coming from that station were purely commercials, because they were paid for. I said if the political party that he belongs could bring their jingles too, they would use them too once they are paid for. The person responded by saying: ‘I don’t know what you are saying. What I am telling you is that you must not continue to use jingles for opposition party. Do you want to die?”
“I responded by saying no, I did not want to die. He cut the call abruptly. Some minutes later, he called me back with hidden number and asked: ‘Do you get what I told you?’ I said ‘Yes, I got your message sir.’ I stayed further that I am a pillar in my family and there are many responsibilities that I am shouldering in the family.
“So, I have reported the case to the Police Divisional Headquarters at Challenge in Ibadan. I am not a member of any political party. I don’t identify with any political party. I don’t understand why such threats come to me and my family. So, I am raising this alarm for people to know that my life is under threat. Even, at Honor FM, we are still on test transmission.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Comrade Ademola Babalola, condemned in strong terms the threats to Ladoke’s life and his family.
“I use this medium to call on security agencies to fish out the caller that threatened our man, Dr. Kola Ladoke, and bring him to justice. This is a case of intimidation. It should not happen at all. I want the caller to know that the fact that he hid his number does not mean he can not be fished out, apprehended and face the law. I have no doubt that the security agencies have swung into action on this case.
“I must also say that politicians should not see media practitioners as enemies, but partners in progress.”
