Popular On-Air Personality, Edmund Obilo, has left Splash 105.5 FM, Ibadan, after years of working with the radio station.
Obilo, one of the pioneer on-air personalities at the wave-making broadcasting outfit, finally “agreed to disagree” and ended his services with the High Chief Adebayo Akande-owned station on the afternoon of Monday, June 13, 2016, following what sources described as a valedictory meeting.
According to reports, signs of strain in the relationship between Obilo and the management of Splash FM had reportedly emerged about two years earlier. However, the situation appeared to have reached a turning point on Saturday, June 11, when then Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, visited the station to participate in Obilo’s popular Voices programme.
Obilo was, however, nowhere to be found.
The governor, who had apparently been invited to the station by the broadcaster, was reportedly displeased when he was informed that Obilo would not be appearing on the programme.
Ajimobi, apparently unaware of the internal issues surrounding the broadcaster’s absence, expressed his displeasure on air.
“Obilo should be here. He is instrumental to my being here. That I am here and he is not here is a sign of disrespect to me and my office,” the governor was quoted as saying.
A source told PMParrot.com that Obilo had resigned a day before the governor’s scheduled appearance at the station.
According to the insider, the development was linked to what was described as a frosty relationship between Obilo and Bisi, the daughter of the station’s proprietor and Chief Executive Officer of Splash FM.
“Bisi and Edmund are always at war. She is always holding him practically by the throat. Obilo resigned on Friday to put a final end to the unending rivalry. Baba Adebayo Akande has always been good to Edmund and most of us. It is Bisi that is the problem. Obilo could take it no longer, hence, his decision to quit,” the source said.
Another insider, however, offered a different perspective, claiming that the disagreement centred largely on the ownership and use of programme content.
The source said Bisi had questioned Obilo about the content from his interviews, particularly because some of the material was reportedly being published on his website and SoundCloud.
“Obilo runs his interviews on his website, SoundCloud.com, and this is not making Bisi, who is the Chief Executive of Splash FM, happy. Obilo contested the ownership of the contents and finally, they could not agree on this. Obilo had to quit.
Who knows, maybe Obilo will be back if, one day, they can agree on ownership of contents and other issues,” the source explained.
Meanwhile, there were reports that the highly regarded broadcaster could pitch his tent with music star and broadcaster Yinka Ayefele, MON, who operates Fresh 105.9 FM in Ibadan.
Ayefele runs the station from his Music House establishment in the Challenge area of Ibadan.
Obilo, who began his broadcasting career at Radio Nigeria as a sports reporter, was unavailable to give his side of the story at the time of the report.
Ayefele, however, returned calls after initially missing them and denied having any discussion with Obilo about joining Fresh FM.
“Obilo is my very good friend. Is he resigning from Splash FM?” Ayefele reportedly asked.
Credit: PMParrot.com
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