Our chief host was the tireless and irrepressible Ken-Calebs Olumese (Lord have mercy!) who was known to all patrons as Guv’nor. We lived like brothers and congregated mostly at Niteshft, the upscale and celebrity nightclub on Opebi Road, Ikeja, Lagos that was the toast of very important people. In the vibrant company of young and upwardly mobile young professionals in the 1990s, you would find Momodu, popularly known as Bob Dee, his call name Mayor Akinpelu, Femi-Akintunde-Johnson, Kunle Bakare, Dr Reuben Abati, Zeb Ejiro, Segun Arinze, Matthias Obahiagbon, Segun Joseph, Charles Omoighe, Barbara Soky, Moji Danisa, Clarion Chukwurah, Victor Eiremiokhae, Seye Kehinde, Steve Ayorinde, Dan Akpovwa, Tunde and Wunmi Obe, Michael Effiong, Azuh Arinze, Fellyx and Mozzyes and so many other friends. I enjoyed their bold and incisive columns and, deep down in my heart, I wanted to write flowing prose like them prose that smelt like roses. Dr Ojeagbase – he gave me first job in Lagos and remains one of my mentors - and late Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu, Mike Awoyinfa and host of other distinguished journalists inspired me. I was 24 years old when I shifted base from Benin to Lagos after my national youth service in Awka, Anambra State on the invitation of Dr Emmanuel Sunny Ojeagbase, one of Nigeria’s prolific sports journalists, and publisher of Sports Souvenir and Complete Football. I also made regular editorial contributions to The Observer newspaper in Benin. The late Prof Chike Obi, renowned mathematician and human rights activist, reacted to the article by sending me a letter and some speeches written by him – there was no internet and email communication at that time. I remember now, with nostalgia, that I couldn’t contain my excitement when my first article was published in the National Concord as an undergraduate. Even with my background as a science student and mathematics graduate of the University of Benin,I took interest in writing and journalism. As young men back in the day, we worked mostly as journalists and we also loved the good life – in our worldview, we saw life as an action-packed movie. The rest, as they say, is now history.Ĭhief Momodu is a man of the people. Having accused Momodu as one of the brains behind Radio Kudirat, they went after him but he was lucky to have escaped to London through Ghana.
Abacha’s goons did not even trust their own shadows much less hapless civilians who were terrified by Abacha’s reign of terror. Fear and terror gripped the land you could be arrested at that time for just sneezing yes, for just sneezing or coughing. During those dark moments in Nigeria’s history, General Sani Abacha was our maximum ruler and military dictator who always wore his famous dark glasses. Ovation was a child of circumstance founded in 1996 by the birthday celebrant and man of the moment when he was in exile in London. He was also instrumental to the founding of ThisDay newspaper because of his close relationship with Prince Nduka Obaigbena, the founder and Chairman of ThisDay.
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Now, Momodu presides over Ovation Media Group (OMG) comprising Ovation International, Ovation TV and The Boss (online newspaper).
I was honoured twice by Ovation with special reports and a generous splash of photographs when I turned 50 and when I became President of the Rotary Club of Lagos. The magazine which is arguably Africa’s response to Hello! - the UK magazine noted for celebrity and royal news - gives publicity to people all over the world with a special focus on Africa. Writing a special tribute in honour of Bashorun Dele Momodu as he clocks 60 years can fill a book because of his versatility, prodigious talents and multi-dimensional nature: husband, father, man of style, journalist, friend, teacher, mentor, fashionista, motivational speaker, networker, humanist, entrepreneur, writer, media consultant, politician and publisher of Ovation, an international celebrity magazine, which is loud for a purpose.
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