Chief Dele Momodu: An “Idan of politics”, a man guided by his personal convictions and not by self-interest
By Issa Itopa Lucky
Nigeria is now in the post-2023 elections phase and while the elections including the highly disputed Presidential election are in court pending judicial verdict to lay the matters of the elections to final rest, loyalties are already being tested.
Many have fallen by the way side and are already hobnobbing with the APC even when the Presidential flag-bearer of the PDP in the 2023 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar made it clear that the PDP won most of the 2023 elections including the Presidential election and that within a matter of time the PDP will prove it in court and retrieve most of the mandates including the Presidential mandate.
These realities have gone far to prove the weaknesses of many who are rather specialists in being inconsistent even in their partisan sojourn.
Many politicians milk their parties dry during electioneering seasons only to abandon their parties and switch camps to hobnob with the party that wins the election even while the election is in court pending court decision.
In all of these, one person whose style of politics can’t escape admiration is Chief Dele Momodu, the founder and Chairman of Ovation Group.
Chief Dele Momodu is a patriot, one that fought the Military establishment even during the peak of Military rule of Nigeria when General Sani Abacha was literally jailing and killing anybody opposed to his Military rule of Nigeria; Chief Dele Momodu stood his ground all through for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria. Even when many were inconsistent in the struggle and hence they were anti-Abacha rule in the day and pro-Abacha rule at night, one person whose stand never changed even for a second, was Chief Dele Momodu. Chief Dele Momodu was anti-Military rule and anti-Abacha rule all through regardless of efforts by the Military establishment and Abacha to break his spirit and to break the ranks of the struggle for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria.
The democracy we are privileged to enjoy today as a nation, we really have Chief Dele Momodu to thank for it. It was once a struggle that later won over anti-democratic forces, hence the return of democracy by 1998 and the 1999 general elections heralding the beginning of the fourth republic that has remained till date.
Fast-forward to year 2023, there are obvious reasons to believe the Presidential election was stolen and of course, the matter is in court for the Judges to weigh the facts and decide who the real owner of the mandate is.
For a fact, as of May 29, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the current President of Nigeria. Ordinarily, except for personal conviction and politics guided strictly by principle, if Chief Dele Momodu wants to be visiting Aso Rock everyday, he easily would as himself and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu are very familiar with each other, but Chief Dele Momodu in his usual nature of politics of principle and personal conviction has re-stated that he is with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar till the very end of at least the court processes in as much as the highly disputed 2023 Presidential election is concerned.
Is it the most juiciest of appointments Chief Dele Momodu would have wanted from Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and he will not get it? Definitely, no! Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President most definitely prays to have even somebody half of the person and quality of Chief Dele Momodu around him and he will be the happiest President ever for at least a day.
Chief Dele Momodu is a fulfilled man. He is a man of personal conviction. He is a man whose loyalty has passed all kinds of test. He is a man blessed of God, beyond measure. Chief Dele Momodu is one man Nigerian politicians should learn to emulate. Chief Dele Momodu did not make his name by betraying his party at a time by jumping at any offer made to him, but rather his participation in politics is and has mainly been not of “do or die” or of self-interest but one hinged on the patriotic desire to help better our democracy that is constantly under attack of greedy politics and corrupt tendencies.
Chief Dele Momodu is more than just who he thinks he is. He is actually an Idan (senior man) who is a role model for many even already established politicians and for very many upcoming politicians across Africa and all over the world.
Issa Itopa Lucky is a socio-political writer.
