A press statement made available to Primus Media by Abimbola Adebayo, former Acting Head of Station and News Editor at Vintage 93.7 FM, has alleged a harrowing tale of prolonged unpaid salaries, verbal abuse, and character defamation under the management of Alhaja Abiola Ibrahim-Adedoja as the Managing Director.
Adebayo, who served from December 1, 2022, until his departure on December 29, 2023, outlined a pattern of discrimination where junior staff received timely payments while senior management, including himself, endured months of salary arrears.
Also, instances of verbal abuse and intimidation, allegedly perpetuated by Ibrahim-Adedoja, are detailed, prompting concerns over the well-being of journalists under her leadership.
Adebayo explained that the appointment of Ronke Giwa-Onafuwa as General Manager initially brought hope for a positive change. However, he claimed in his press statement made available to us that Ibrahim-Adedoja, displeased with the newfound support for the GM, resorted to divisive tactics and stringent work engagements to maintain control.
He further explained that despite personal financial contributions from staff, covering expenses for news productions, program airing, and reporter’s transport, the grievances persisted. As of Adebayo’s departure, salaries for September, November, and December 2023 remain unpaid.
Adebayo calls upon the Oyo State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chief Ademola Babalola, and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to investigate the dehumanizing treatment endured by journalists at Vintage 93.7 FM. Notably, appeals to the station’s Chairman, Dr. Habbeb Olufemi, have allegedly gone unanswered.
Primus Media has diligently taken every necessary step to engage with both the Chairman and the Managing Director concerning this urgent matter surrounding the station. However, as of the time of filing this report, no official explanation or response has been provided by the management.
2024-03-06