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Dele Momodu: A Hopeless ‘Owambe’ Clown Begins His Dance Of Shame in the Open
After reading through Mr. Dele Momodu’s rather emotional outburst in response to otherwise salient points raised in the statement we issued asking him to point out SPECIFIC AREAS of plagiarism in Asiwaju’s ACTION PLAN, my feeling oscillated between delirious laughter and outright pity for the pathetic wreck his life has actually become. Here is a miserable fellow who having previously overrated himself, crashed down like a wingless bird from a futile presidential ambition (for which he got zero votes in the PDP Presidential primaries), and ended up as an hyperactive hireling and attack-dog of perhaps the worst serial loser in Nigeria’s electoral history.
Funnily enough, the only curriculum vitae he truly possesses to even make an attempt at the Presidency is no more than mere photo ops with celebrities and the high-and-mighty in society. This is the sad story of a HOPELESS CLOWN in his sixties who is desperately looking to pick whatever pieces is left of his life by shamelessly worming his way into the pockets of Atiku Abubabar and making himself available to execute dirty jobs against his long-standing benefactor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Mr. Momodu’s epistle of lamentations is again a re-affirmation of his manifest lack of rigour. In his latest rambling piece, he failed again to redeem himself on the gross theoretical deficiency identified in his earlier writing. One would have thought he would seize this “second chance” to copiously point out portions or areas plagiarized by the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Council from MKO’s 1993 campaign manifesto named “Hope 1993”.
But instead, Mr. Momodu embarked on a “pity party” by whipping up sentiments like a frustrated man to cover up for his obvious inadequacies.
Typically, what the readers were then subjected to was another orgy of almost interminable name-dropping of socialites and the likes in Nigeria. But he seems oblivious of the fact that not many serious-minded Nigerians are easily swayed by such tabloid show-boating.
For instance, this time around, Mr. Momodu was quick to don the toga of “freedom fighter” on behalf of Akinwunmi Ambode for not getting second term ticket in APC in 2018 ahead of the Lagos governorship polls in March 2019. Well, let us pretend that we do not know the open secret that he was a well-serviced “PR consultant” to the same Ambode. That being the case, how come the same Momodu came out to praise-sing Asiwaju Tinubu on October 26, 2019 in his column entitled “Bola Tinubu and his Date with Destiny in 2023”? Was that not a betrayal of Ambode who, by then, had vacated office and left in limbo?
To me, even more amusing was Momodu’s recourse to divulging what he himself termed “secrets”. Such tomfoolery ! What he actually tried to do in that column was to again worm his way back to Asiwaju after “cleaning out” Ambode.
Such is the character of Mr. Momodu that he actually operates from the lowest rung of moral debauchery; a man who follows who provides his next meal ticket. Atiku is the latest victim of this conman. Mark my words: IF, BY GOD’S GRACE, ASIWAJU WINS THE PRESIDENCY NEXT YEAR, EXPECT MR. MOMODU TO DO ANOTHER SOMERSAULT BY SHAMELESSLY COMPOSING ANOTHER “ORIKI” (YORUBA FOR PRAISE SONG) FOR ASIWAJU, CRAWLING HIS WAY BACK ON HIS WHOLE BODY FRAME LIKE AN ORANGUTAN.
Well, as a mark of personal honour, I will never succumb to the temptation to divulge what Mr. Momodu himself had told me in confidence in the past as to why he fell out with some key figures in the Buhari administration. Contrary to his usual public posturing, it was never a matter of principle. As Mitchelle Obama once put it: “When they go low, we go high.”
As a very busy man with various portfolios and an eye on my huge private practice still going strong and to which I will return anytime, let me end my response here. There are far more important things to do than be distracted by the tantrums of someone who seems to be getting increasingly frustrated that those who hired him to salvage the publicity aspect of PDP’s presidential campaign are so far unimpressed with his mediocre performance.
My last comment on this chapter, please.
Thank you.
FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN, FCIArb(UK)
Director of Public Affairs and Chief Spokesperson, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.
Minister of State, Labour and Employment,
Federal Republic of Nigeria. Thanks
Featured
NELFUND: The Renewed Hope Engine Propelling Nigeria’s Youth into Tomorrow
By Dayo Israel, National Youth Leader, APC
As the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress, I have spent most of my tenure fighting for a Nigeria where every young person, regardless of their ward or local government, family income, or circumstance, can chase dreams without the chains of financial despair.
Today, that fight feels like victory, thanks to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Launched as a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, this initiative isn’t just a policy tweak; it’s a revolution. And under the steady, visionary hand of Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr, NELFUND has transformed from a bold promise into a roaring engine of opportunity, disbursing over ₦116 billion to more than 396,000 students and shattering barriers for over a million applicants.
Let’s be clear: NELFUND was always destined to be a game-changer. Signed into law by President Tinubu on April 3, 2024, it repealed the outdated 2023 Student Loan Act, replacing it with a modern, inclusive framework that covers tuition, upkeep allowances, and even vocational training—ensuring no Nigerian youth is left on the sidelines of progress.
But what elevates it from groundbreaking to generational? Leadership. Enter Akintunde Sawyerr, the diplomat-turned-executioner whose career reads like a blueprint for results-driven governance. From co-founding the Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN) in 2012—backed by icons like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina—to steering global logistics at DHL across 21 countries, Sawyerr brings a rare alchemy: strategic foresight fused with unyielding accountability.
As NELFUND’s pioneer MD, he’s turned a fledgling fund into a finely tuned machine, processing over 1 million applications since May 2024 and disbursing ₦116 billion—₦61.33 billion in institutional fees and ₦46.35 billion in upkeep—to students in 231 tertiary institutions nationwide. That’s not bureaucracy; that’s brilliance.
Sawyerr’s touch is everywhere in NELFUND’s ascent. Since the portal’s launch, he’s overseen a digital ecosystem that’s as transparent as it is efficient—seamless verification, BVN-linked tracking, and real-time dashboards that have quashed misinformation and built trust. In just 18 months, the fund has empowered 396,252 students with interest-free loans, many first-generation learners who might otherwise have dropped out.
Sensitization drives in places like Ekiti and Ogun have spiked applications — 12,000 in a single day in one instance, while expansions to vocational centers in Enugu pilot the next wave of skills-based funding. And amid challenges like data mismatches and fee hikes, Sawyerr’s team has iterated relentlessly: aligning disbursements with academic calendars, resuming backlogged upkeep payments for over 3,600 students, and even probing institutional compliance to safeguard every kobo. This isn’t management; it’s mastery—a man who doesn’t just lead but launches futures.
Yet, none of this happens in a vacuum. President Tinubu’s alliance with trailblazers like Sawyerr is the secret sauce securing Nigeria’s tomorrow. The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda isn’t rhetoric; it’s resources—₦100 billion seed capital channeled into a system that prioritizes equity over elitism. Together, they’ve forged a partnership where vision meets velocity: Tinubu’s bold repeal of barriers meets Sawyerr’s boots-on-the-ground execution, turning abstract policy into tangible triumphs. It’s a synergy that’s non-discriminatory by design—Christians, Muslims, every tribe and tongue united in access—fostering national cohesion through classrooms, not courtrooms.
As Sawyerr himself notes, this is “visionary leadership” in action, where the President’s political will ignites reforms that ripple across generations.
Why does this matter to us, Nigeria’s youth? Because NELFUND isn’t handing out handouts—it’s handing out horizons. In a country where 53% of us grapple with unemployment, these loans aren’t just funds; they’re fuel for innovation, entrepreneurship, and endurance.
Picture it: A first-generation polytechnic student in Maiduguri, once sidelined by fees, now graduates debt-free (repayments start two years post-NYSC, employer-deducted for ease) and launches a tech startup. Or a vocational trainee in Enugu, equipped with skills funding, revolutionizing local agriculture. This is quality education that endures—not fleeting certificates, but lifelong launchpads. Sawyerr’s focus on human-centered design ensures loans cover not just books, but bread—upkeep stipends of ₦20,000 monthly keeping hunger at bay so minds can soar. Under his watch, NELFUND has debunked doubts, refuted fraud claims, and delivered results that scream sustainability: Over ₦99.5 billion to 510,000 students by September, with 228 institutions on board.
As youth leaders, we see NELFUND for what it is: A covenant with our future. President Tinubu and MD Sawyerr aren’t just allies; they’re architects of an educated, empowered Nigeria—one where poverty’s grip loosens with every approved application, and innovation blooms from every funded desk. This isn’t charity; it’s an investment in the 70 million of us who will lead tomorrow.
We’ve crossed one million applications not because of luck, but leadership—a duo that’s turning “access denied” into “future unlocked.”
To President Tinubu: Thank you for daring to dream big and backing it with action.
To Akintunde Sawyerr: You’re the executor we needed, proving that one steady hand can steady a nation.
And to every Nigerian youth: Apply. Graduate. Conquer.
Because with NELFUND, your generation isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving, enduring, and eternal.
The Renewed Hope isn’t a slogan; it’s our story, now written in scholarships and success. Let’s keep turning the page.
Dayo Israel is the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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