Exclusive Interview with Chief Dele Momodu: ‘Nations are governed by performers not saints’

Chief Dele Momodu and the President-elect Muhammadu Buhari

Chief Dele Momodu: ‘Nations are not governed by saints. They are governed by performers.’

The widely anticipated television version of Ovation magazine has been launched by Chief Dele Momodu in three major cities.

The announcement of the programme which showcases excelling Nigerians, international events, weddings, birthday’s parties amongst other celebrated events was first made by the famous proprietor of the broadly circulated glossy magazine via twitter to his 389K followers on Saturday (May 16th).
The veteran publisher tweeted to say Ovation TV was “now in London” and can be viewed on BEN TV “Sky channel 182”.

He later unveiled that @ovationtvonline which had been well received could also be watched in Nigeria and Ghana.

Nigeria’s equivalent of Rupert Murdoch, Chief Momodu has become a household name in the Nigerian political circle. He emerged as the Presidential candidate for the National Conscience Party Party (NCP) in 2011.

Chief Momodu who remains a key figure in Nigeria even till today began his career as a staff writer with the African Concord magazine, owned by late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola. It has been reported that Chief Momodu was to be arrested and charged for treason in 1995. Treason offences are punishable by death in Nigeria.

The former Presidential aspirant who flew into London to celebrate his birthday with his family established Ovation International in 1996 while on self-exile following the annulment of the 12 June Presidential election by General Ibrahim Babangida.

Having become a household name, Chief Momodu threw his weight behind the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the recent election which culminated in a win for General Muhammadu Buhari GCFR.

In an interview with APCUK Chief Momodu spoke of his “passion” for communications.

“My passion is media. I love communicating with people. I have never been in government but I am able to communicate effectively and I am able to contribute my own little quota. 

“I believe I was born a communicator. Communication is not about being a journalist alone it is about communicating all the time.”

The 55-year-old who denied rumours that he was planning to contest for the Presidential office in 2019 talked about the need for Nigerians to work together with the President-elect.

“I am not a member of APC and irrespective of our political affiliations, religious differences and ethnic configuration, I subscribed to the idea of all of us coming together to rescue Nigeria,” he said
On his decision not to contest for the Office of President in 2019, he said “AlI I wanted was good governance.

“I believe at the time I contested that I was one of the best in Nigeria. I was young vibrant forward thinking so what ‘I was looking for in Sokoto is now in my sokoto’ so we should all join hands and support Buhari.

“For me the importance of a Buhari victory offers us hope and promise and I pray that those hopes will not be aborted and I hope that APC’s promise will not be bastardised,” he added

A well-known critic of the outgoing President, Chief Momodu said: “If Jonathan had performed do you think I would fight him?” No, he said: “but I believe PDP was running Nigeria to the ground that is why we fought against it. It was nothing personal.”

“We have the right government now and that is why I say we need to support Buhari to create a Nigeria where every citizen has a sense of belonging.

“There is no government that can solve all problems. We have no light. We have no water, no jobs and no petrol. I understand that nations are not governed by saints; they are governed by performers but let’s solve some of these problems.

The graduate of University of Ife advised that “we can tackle them by assembling the best hands that we have.

“If you’re going to the World Cup, you don’t go with a weak team; you go with the strongest team so let the people’s General search all over Nigeria and abroad and put these people in government then things will begin to change.”

Mr Buhari will be sworn in as President of Nigeria in eleven days (May 29th) having defeated an incumbent President at the polls.

Chief Momodu said the win “offers hope and it offers promise of a new Nigeria and that is what we fought for.

“It was not a personal battle for anybody but we needed a father figure and I believe I was one of those who started the idea of a Mandela option and I discussed it with a lot of APC members especially in the UK.”

The ‘humbled’ media mogul and restaurateur who has returned to Nigeria after flying into London on Saturday (May 16th) to launch his TV channel and celebrate his birthday with his family said: “It is not an easy thing to be a Dele Momodu but God has humbled me enough to be able to do things at whatever level I have found myself.

“I run over 24 hours a day. Trust me I hardly sleep,” however the acclaimed father of four is “fine. I am doing what I enjoy doing and the most important thing in business is doing what your passion is.”

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APC – UK Chapter.
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