The Publisher of Ovation magazine, Otunba Dele Momodu, has revealed how he reacted the day the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, late Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, gave him £4,000 in 1991 in London, United Kingdom.
Momodu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, shared his experienced during his 64th birthday celebration.
The seasoned journalist spoke as he sat in Osun State with some high profile Nigerians who spoke of their different encounters with Abiola, a multi billionaire businessman.
He was in the company of the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and candidate of the PDP in the Kogi State governorship election in 2023, Senator Dino Melaye.
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Momodu, who was in the Osun State on the invitation of Governor Adeleke, said: “My own was 1991.
“I didn’t know MKO was in London, so I was going to a party in Stratford, but I needed to call my apartment.
“I was expecting a message there.
“So I put a 20p coin into the box.
“After I finished talking, I still had 10p left.
“So I didn’t want to waste it.
“So I said let me call Deji Abiola.
“Someone picked the call.
“I said can I speak to Deji Abiola?
“The person said who is that?
“I said my name is Dele Momodu.
“Then I heard: ‘Dele.’
“Then me too I said: ‘Who is that?’
“Then I heard: ‘My name in Moshood Abiola.’
“The phone wanted me to fall off my hand.
“Money, Kudi, Owo.
“God punish poverty.
“He said: ‘Dele One, where are you?’
“I said I’m in Stratford, sir.
“He said (mimicking Abiola’s style of talking): ‘Can you come to my house right away?'”
Speaking in Yoruba, Momodu said: “Aare n pe o, o lo n d’ifa, ti ifa ba fo ire ti Aare o ba fo ire nko (The warlord is calling you, you said you are consulting the oracle. What if the oracle speaks good and the warlord does not)?
“Come and see (gesticulating with his hands as if running)….
“You will think I was Ben Johnson.”
Momodu said Abiola then gave him a description of how to reach his house.
He said on arrival, he was ushered in by one of Abiola’s men in the house, identified as George, who told him the late billionaire was waiting for him in his bedroom.
He said on opening the door, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the 1993 presidential election was on his bed in his housecoat.
With him was Momodu’s friend, Deji Abiola.
Both were watching the senior Abiola’s speech at an event.
Abiola, after banters, then said Momodu that he told him to get married but he has not.
Momodu then responded that he does not have the money for it, to which Abiola said he does not need to have everything to get married.
The Publisher of Ovation said when it was time for him to leave, Abiola offered to give him “something”, asking if £2,500 would be okay for him, adding: “Me that it was £290 that followed me to London.
“Somebody now asking me if £2,500 will be okay for me, in 1991.
“Old boy, I stood up, my legs were already shaking.”
Momodu said Abiola then looked at him again and asked if he had an account in London.
When he replied no, Abiola said he was going to ask that two should be opened for him, adding: “Then you even said your girlfriend is around, I will make the money £4,000.
“I went on the floor straight.”
He said when Abiola finished writing the cheque, he then appended a note at the back that two accounts should be opened for him.
Momodu added: “It was on a Sunday.
“I forgot the elevator to start with.
“The fastest way to go mental is to see the kind of money you never bargained for.
“And unexpectedly, suddenly.
“So I ran downstairs.
“I couldn’t open the door.
“I ran back upstairs.
“He could see that mo ti ya bobo yin ni were (I have made this guy go crazy).
“So he now asked that they should go and let me out.
“So when I got into Regent Park, his house was overlooking the Regent Park, then I now started singing: ‘Ide mi ja Hallelujah mo de le ayo (My chains are broken, Halleluyah I have arrived in the house of joy).
“Like you said (turning to Melaye), I could not sleep.
“Money is a demon.
“I was afraid that may be something would fall on the cheque and I won’t be able to go back to him, may be somebody will take it.
“I was thinking all sorts.”
Momodu said eventually in the morning, he went to the bank to see the Manager.
He added that out of the £4,000, he collected £1,000 in cash.
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