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Jonathan Accuses Obama of Working Against him in 2015

Published

6 years ago

November 21, 2018

Eric

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said a former President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, influenced the 2015 presidential election which he lost to the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

Jonathan in his new book, ‘My Transition Hour,’ which he publicly presented in Abuja on Tuesday, recalled that he was confident of winning the election based on his achievements.

He recalled how Obama, in a video message directly released to Nigerians, urged them to vote the opposition in the 2015 poll.

According to Jonathan, Obama released the video on March 23, 2015 which was less than a week to the 2015 presidential election.

He recalled that the video came after Obama sent his Secretary of State, John Kerry, to Nigeria “to protest the rescheduling of the election.”

“On March 23, 2015, President Obama himself took the unusual step of releasing a video message directly to Nigerians all but telling them how to vote.

“In that video, Obama urged Nigerians to open the ‘next chapter’ by their votes.

“Those who understood subliminal language deciphered that he was prodding the electorate to vote for the opposition to form a new government.

“The message was so condescending, it was as if Nigerians did not know what to do and needed an Obama to direct them,” the book read in part.

He criticised Obama, who was American president from 2009 to 2017, for allegedly saying “all Nigerians must be able to cast their votes without intimidation or fear.”

Jonathan also did not spare Kerry, whom he said arrived in Nigeria, on Obama’s instructions, to protest the postponement of the 2015 election on January 25, 2015.

The former President said the top US diplomat was nonchalant in his attitude towards his government despite all efforts to make him understand that the decision to postpone the election was in the overall interest of Nigeria.

He stated, “How can the US Secretary of State know what is more important for Nigeria than Nigeria’s own government? How could they have expected us to conduct elections when Boko Haram controlled part of the North-East and were killing and maiming Nigerians?

“Not even the assurance of the sanctity of May 29, 2015, handover date could calm them down. In Nigeria, the Constitution is very clear: No President can extend his tenure by one day.”

Featured

Dele Momodu @65: The Billionaire of Hearts, the Common Man’s King

Published

5 hours ago

May 12, 2025

Eric

By Gite Igiehon

In a world where affluence often breeds distance, and fame creates fences between the privileged and the people, Chief Dele Momodu, at 65, continues to walk a different path—one paved with humility, empathy, and human connection.

Many know him as the media mogul, the respected publisher of Ovation International, the presidential aspirant, and the seasoned journalist with global acclaim. But few truly understand the weight of the name Bob Dee, as we fondly call him, and what it means to those whose lives he quietly touches without headlines or hashtags.

At 65, Dele Momodu is not just a public figure. He is a living bridge—between wealth and poverty, between celebrity and humanity, between the elite and the everyday Nigerian. Despite his exposure to kings, presidents, and pop culture royalty, he has never forgotten how to sit, eat, and laugh with the poor. He listens when others speak over. He shows up when others send excuses.

I remember vividly when I celebrated my 40th birthday. I called him just two weeks before the event. He was in the UK and told me plainly that he had no plans to return to Nigeria anytime soon. I understood. I thanked him and moved on. But a week later, he called back with words that still echo in my heart: “Princess, you’ve never invited me to anything before.”

On the day of my celebration, I looked up—and there he was. My mentor. My inspiration. My “Oga,” in every sense of the word. Dele Momodu showed up. Not because of status, politics, or press. But because that’s who he is—a man of his word, a man of the people.

At 65, it’s not his global network, his powerful interviews, or even his political aspirations that make him remarkable. It is his consistent humanity—a rare virtue in these times. He carries the weight of the world with a smile and wears his wealth not in fabric or fortune, but in the countless lives he has uplifted, empowered, and remembered.

Dele Momodu is not just a man. He is a movement of grace, of loyalty, and of love.

As he turns 65, may the world not only celebrate his achievements but take a moment to learn from his greatest legacy—his heart.

Featured

A Glorious 65th Birthday Tribute to Bashorun Dele Momodu

Published

1 day ago

May 11, 2025

Eric

By Azuh Arinze

On Friday, May 16, 2025, the world will celebrate not just a man, but a living legend – Bashorun Ayobamidele Ojutelegan Abayomi Ajani Momodu – a visionary journalist, media titan, political thinker, cultural ambassador, and an unrelenting force for truth, excellence, and the African dream.

Happy 65th birthday, Bob Dee!

Your life’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary and exceptional. From the newsroom to all the rooms that matter, from political corridors to international stages, you have remained a beacon of hope, courage, and intellectual brilliance – just like your astounding mentors, Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola and Otunba Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Adenuga. Through Ovation International magazine, you ingeniously gave Africa a mirror to see its own beauty, elegance, and potential. You equally created a platform that elevated our celebrity stories and interviews with pride, power and possibilities.

Your voice has echoed across continents – not just reporting history, but shaping it. Your words have inspired millions, your boldness has challenged systems, and your generosity has uplifted countless lives. Even in adversity, especially while in exile, you carried your convictions with grace, proving that truth is not only worth telling, but also worth living for.

At 65, you effortlessly embody the wisdom of a sage and the vigour of a man still on a mission. May this new chapter bring you deeper joy, divine health, and even greater impact. The world may change, but your legacies – your light and your life – will continue to grow brighter and brighter.

On behalf of all those you have touched, mentored, empowered, and inspired – like my good self – I say thank you and thank you and thank you. You are indeed a national treasure and a global gift that will continue to be cherished and adored.

Happy birthday, Sir, and long may you reign.

With deepest admiration and warmest wishes to one of the best things that ever happened to the journalism profession in Nigeria and Africa.

Azuh Arinze, KSM is the
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine and Odenigbo I of Azia

Featured

A Tribute to Chief Dele Momodu at 65: The Man Who Wears the World Like a Cap

Published

2 days ago

May 10, 2025

Eric

By Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba

It is as if Paul Coelho knew Dele Momodu when he said “When you are enthusiastic about what you do, you feel this positive energy. It’s very simple”, for it is quite visible to the blind and audible to the deaf, Momodu has carved a niche for himself as an altruistic, enthusiastic, passionate leader and a big name in all that he does with sterling records of multidimensional success.

How does one describe the essence of Chief Dele Momodu?

To some, he is a journalist who tells truth to power, a role he has been playing for over four decades.
To others, he is the publisher of Ovation International Magazine, the CEO of Ovation Media Group, pan Africanist, and the ink behind many untold stories.
To the politically inclined, he is a fearless voice, a candidate of conscience, a mirror held up to Nigeria’s democracy.
To the culture custodians, he is a walking archive, every handshake, every smile, every frame a testimony to history.
And to those who know him beyond the headlines, he is simply “Bob Dee”, a brother, mentor, bridge-builder, and friend.

Chief Dele Momodu is the embodiment of the ancient parable of the blind men and the elephant. Each man touches a part of the animal and draws a different conclusion, so vast is its form, so layered its truth. So it is with Dele Momodu. You may think you know him, but you have only touched a tusk, or a trunk, or a tail. The whole of him? It is too expensive for one perspective.

This is a man who has worn many caps, not as decoration, but as duty: journalist, activist, publisher, publicist, diplomat, politician, peace promoter and above all, a global citizen. Each role he has worn with authenticity and audacity.

He has stood in exile and yet spoken louder than those at home.
He has been in rooms where power whispers, yet he chooses to shout truth on behalf of the voiceless.
He has witnessed the worst of Nigeria’s turmoil, yet he continues to believe in its best tomorrow.
He is not just an observer of history, he is a participant, a provocateur, a preserver.

At 65, Chief Momodu does not merely carry years, he carries stories, nations, and generations. His journey is not a straight line but a vibrant tapestry: woven with faith, resilience, reinvention, and love. It is a story that tells us that greatness is not a destination, but a life lived fully, courageously, and selflessly.

Sir, today we do not just celebrate your birthday. We celebrate the light you carry. The platforms you’ve built. The battles you’ve fought. The people you’ve inspired. And the generations you continue to prepare.

May your cap never fall. May your pen never dry.
And may history forever remember you, not just as one who told stories,
but as one who became a story worth telling.

Happy 65th Birthday, my dearest mentor…