- Dele Momodu revealed his mother feared witches after he studied Yoruba and was unable to secure a teaching job
- He recounted his mentorship under Chief Mrs. Doyinsola Abiola, known as “Iya Paper,” during his journalism career
- Momodu shared personal memories of the late MKO Abiola family and navigating life as a polygamist’s son
A prominent member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and media mogul, Dele Momodu, has shared a personal story highlighting his early struggles with unemployment and his late mother’s reaction to his choice of academic study.
Speaking on Saturday at the burial ceremony of the late Chief Mrs. Doyinsola Abiola in Lagos, Momodu paid tribute to the pioneering journalist, affectionately referred to as "Iya Paper", and reflected on his journey from academic uncertainty to professional success.
In a moving address, Momodu recalled how his mother questioned his decision to study Yoruba at university, particularly when he struggled to secure employment after graduation.
“I came to Lagos in 1988 in search of greener pastures, if I can borrow that cliché, and I was desperate for a job,” he said. “I studied Yoruba for my first degree and I couldn’t get a job as a teacher. My mother was wondering if I wanted to become a Babalawo or why I would go to university to study Yoruba.”
He added that after failing to find employment, even after earning a master’s degree in Literature in English, his mother feared that supernatural forces from his father’s village in Edo State were working against him. “She was wondering if witches and wizards were after me,” he recalled.
Momodu also recounted his close relationship with the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola and his wives, including the late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola and Chief Mrs. Adebisi Abiola.
“Daddy had told me that if you want to be a polygamist, you must be a competent polygamist. So, as the son of a competent polygamist, you must know how to navigate and meander in the home of one,” he joked. “We would start from upstairs and go to mummy’s apartment, Alhaja Kudirat, then to Chief Bisi Abiola, and finally to ‘Iya Paper,’ who was my boss at Concord.”
Momodu credited “Iya Paper” for playing a significant role in his career during his time at Concord Newspaper, where she was a senior figure. He expressed his gratitude for the mentorship and support he received during his formative years in journalism.
Dele Momodu accuses President Tinubu of using intimidation to force political defections
Meanwhile, TheRadar reported that Nigerian journalist and publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, has sharply criticised President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of employing heavy-handed tactics to coerce opposition figures into joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, April 23, Momodu asserted that fear, rather than ideological alignment or genuine loyalty, was the primary driver behind the increasing wave of defections to the APC.
