“Mr. President, You Saved Me Shame By Not Awarding Me National Honour” – Dele Momodu

By Adesina Soyooye

Chief Dele Momodu, Publisher of Ovation International, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has thanked President Bola Tinubu for not awarding him a National Honour as he did a number of his colleagues.

President Tinubu, on Democracy Day on June 12, honoured a number of people who he said were Heroes of June 12, 1993, Heroes of Nigeria’s Democracy.

But his honour’s list  has raised a storm. He left out a number of people who were conspicuous in the fight for the restoration of the June 12 1993 Presidential Election won by Chief Moshood Abiola but annulled by the General Ibrahim Babangida Military Junta.

One of those  left out is Momodu. He played a major role at the time, was even in exile with Tinubu.

He was an Aide to Abiola. He campaigned vigorously in 2015 for the emergence of  then General Muhammadu Buhari as President. He, also, campaigned for the emergence of Abiola, but, eventually pitched his tent with the Peoples Democratic Party, and became one of the Party’s Presidential Campaign Committee’s Spokespersons.

Finally, he became a constant strong  critic of Tinubu and the APC Government.

Not a few people believe that his parting of ways, politically, from Tinubu, is the main reason Momodu was ignored.

But Momodu is not losing sleep over that if the statement he released in response is anything to go by. In a strongly-worded reaction to his snub by Tinubu, Momodu thanked the President for skipping him. According to the celebrated Journalist, given the President’s performance in office, he would have been embarrassed if he had been honoured. He also said the President saved him a difficult situation – publicly rejecting the Honour if he had been awarded.

He disclised that he has already been  richly rewarded for the role he played in the June 12 saga. For instance, he said he not only has second homes in London and Ghana, but their citizenship. He, also, said he has travelled the world and acquired fame. And more important, founded the Ovation International.

Following is Momodu’s full response which he posted on his X page from Ghana.

”RE: JUNE 12 NATIONAL HONORS’ CONTROVERSY”

I wish to humbly disagree with all those who have reached out to me protesting or complaining that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ‘deliberately’ missed out my name in the JUNE 12 HONORS’ List released earlier today. I will like to make the following observations:

1. It is the prerogative of every government to determine those it wishes to recognise and honor.
2. Honorary awards are endless and can be given now, later or never. There are well deserving heroes whose names were clearly omitted.
3. JUNE 12 1993 has been extremely kind to me by offering me the opportunities to fight for Democracy in various capacities. I was amply compensated by the collective sacrifices made by Nigerians. I returned from exile with so many goodies as ordained by almighty God, including the global brand, Ovation International, a second address & citizenship in the UK, a third address in Ghana, worldwide fame & acclaim, and so on.
4. I would have been embarrassed to be recognized by a regime that’s unapologetically trampling on tenets of democracy and dangerously leading our dear beloved nation down the slope of dictatorship and full-blown tyranny. On the other hand, it would have been considered rude and impudent of me to reject such a National honor from a man I still consider my Big Brother and friend, despite my vehement disagreement and displeasure with him over matters of political views…

” I wish to sincerely thank the President for rescuing me from what might have been misconstrued as compromise, arrogance or disrespect…Massive congratulations to all the honourees…”