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Pendulum: The Lions Won’t Let You, A Review of Fighting Lions

Published

7 years ago

August 30, 2019

Eric

By Abiodun Adeniyi

He has never hidden his reverence for the 13th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Bashorun Moshood Abiola. He has severally celebrated the legendary multi-tasking ability of the late politician, just as he has nearly waxed songs about Abiola’s phenomenal energy, his native intelligence, his prowess with proverbs and his networking skills.

Abiola’s expertise in combining the past and the modern, the present and the absent, all in the pursuit of opening up the mind for better understanding of situations have not also been lost on him. As if a genetic protégé, he has been faithful to Abiola’s epistemic disposition, as he has been to his political and business philosophies.

It has been the path of foremost journalist, entrepreneur, writer and columnist, Dele Momodu, while bestriding the Shakespearean “straight and narrow path(s)” of existence.

The highlighted Abiola traits are interestingly coterminous with Momodu’s effervescent nature, his philosophic approaches and his apostolic drive for social change.

Check him out as well: He is at home with proverbs, especially of the Yoruba genre, just as he is naturally enlivening, besides penchants to radiate a positive verve, capable of melting even the hardest of the stones, just like Moshood Abiola.

Excited in the open, and at once humble at a closer range, Momodu exemplifies the textbook difference between the person in the public face and the one in the private face. Public impressions are constructed based on media portrayals, representations and posturing. They are moderated by closer contacts disproving or affirming presumptions, in the subtle back and forth world of the definition and discerning of reputation. While some may misunderstand Momodu in the distance as disinterested, he comes personable, witty, friendly, and humorous on closer approach.

Obviously experimental in nature and confident of the multiple traits he bears, just like his mentor Abiola, Momodu would no doubt go some more length in his strides. Also a Bashorun (of Oke-Ila), like Abiola (who was of Ibadan), he soon stepped onto the political space, angling for the topmost position in the land-the nation’s presidency; and again, like his mentor remarkably did.

The story of his foray into presidential politics is one capable of evoking mixed feelings. Was it audacious, well meaning, or adventurous? That seems some of the questions that Ohimai Godwin Amaize seeks to answer in the book “Fighting Lions: The Untold Story of Dele Momodu’s Presidential Campaign”

Amaize wrote from a vantage position. He was manager of Momodu’s presidential campaign when he ran for president in 2011. Technically a participant observer therefore, Amaize chronicled their campaign travels, tours and detours, from the point of view of an insider, and a witness to bravery, appointments and disappointments, pleasures and pains, downs and lows, aside the Janus face of man, coming after the Greek idol, with its especial temporality in gazing forward and backwards.

Himself a writer, journalist and new media enthusiast, Amaize did not just embark on a teleological rendition of the campaign experiences, but attempted to give meanings to their experiences, making deductions, doing reflections and reflexions, in a bid to situate the character of man within time and space, through the prism of the rambunctious Momodu.

In setting out from his “If not us…Who?”, as the first chapter is titled, Amaize underlined the thinking in town that political contestation is just for the other person-not for me! It should not be so in the ideal sense, which justifies the courage to come against the “lions” as Momodu did.

The writer in Momodu has countlessly made him to tell his own story of how he grew from Ife to Lagos, how he mutated from a budding writer to a celebrated editor and columnist and how he has extended his paths to pro-democracy activism, to exilic exploits, and then to the mission to serve. Momodu is ordinarily expressive and volunteering, believing that his experiences are good enough to motivate and to inspire, and that there is no price without process, no gains without losses, and no advantage without disadvantages.

It explains why Amaize did not dwell too much on “The Dele Momodu Story” and racing quickly to the question of “Who Says the Youth Can’t Lead”, where he challenged subtle narratives about the unpreparedness of the Nigerian youths to lead. The youth is often derided, albeit in hush, covert tongues, as a reluctant set, which cannot be trusted just yet. Even though there is no evidence for this, the impression is real, and evening up to a perception of neglect.

Using Momodu’s case, he argued that the youth are more than ready to lead, especially for their depth, their energy and the new world of innovation, where the world is essentially technology driven, and where the youths are playing a critical role. Momodu, he maintains, exemplifies not just that kind of youth oriented leadership, but one that can galvanize the youth towards nation building, as partly shown in his decision to choose him as his campaign manager, irrespective of his age.

Amaize then noted the place of the voters in the electioneering process, especially against the background of suspected elite cynicism. The elites, he regretted would be reluctant in backing the youth, or one who is not a member of the establishment. They would prefer an old order, where patterns and particularities are predictable, and where change will regrettably not come from.

Amaize revealed how the campaign was not reckoned with despite the towering image of Momodu, and how elites wrote off their chances, apriori, in what undermined the influence of the voters. They powered on, regardless, because “we were confident about one thing: it’s the voters who decide the outcome of elections, whether they vote or refuse to cast their votes” It is therefore a case of “It’s the Voters, Stupid”.

Other than elite cynicism were other shades of cynics, naysayers, and friends who felt the Momodu campaign was not a serious one. These set doubted he genuinely wanted to be president. They thought he was just out to shine, and to be counted. The more they tried to convince them the more they doubted them. Close friends left him to his cause. Mentors were circumspect, while fellow runners were suspicious. Rather than being discouraged, Momodu was rather encouraged.

He pushed and pushed, despite personalities, individuals, and parties’ betrayals, testifying to the thinking that you are what you want to be. Amaize captured this as much in use of the Charles Swindoll words: “The real tests of courage are much quieter. They are the inner tests, like remaining faithful when nobody’s looking, like enduring pain when the room is empty, like standing alone when you are misunderstood”

And determined to pull through the maze of doubts the campaigners knew they must deploy the tool of unity. They must be coordinated, integrated and inclusive. They were therefore concerned about ensuring supporters both at home and abroad spoke with a voice, moved in unison and assembled in as many centres as possible, towards the expression of their mission, vision and core objectives.

They no doubt did “Against All Odds” proving to the world that the campaign was not a joke, but a real interest in winning, in contributing to national growth and development. In the book, therefore, Amaize showed some of the downsides of the Nigerian system, revolving around the absence of belief, the nuance of faithlessness and the commodification of processes in a transactional arrangement that erodes values, virtues and a subscription to higher ideal.

He summed it thus: “It was an experience that forced our team to take a proper look at the critical factors that determine outcomes in Nigerian politics. We came to the disturbing conclusion that the very first factor was money. It was not policies, programmes or the people; it was money. The second factor was ethnicity; where you came from. The third factor was religion, and the fourth was popularity.”

Even so, Momodu was gratified that through the presidential contest, he became enriched, more informed and with a broader sense of perspective on things Nigeria. A practiced thinker on the Nigerian condition, he believes with the campaign experience, he is in a better stead to make quality, aposteriori submissions on the nation’s situations as seen through his columns, in interactions and in sundry media outings, consistent with his primary passion for social engineering.

Good book no doubt, Amaize has invited us to think along with them, in the manner the campaign did, but not before reading and digesting the thirteen-chapter text. Deserving of engagement, the literature is simply worth one’s time, even if the title “Fighting lions…” portrayed Momodu’s political travel as a combat, instead of the pursuit of a worthy cause. I will downplay that, anyway, and heartily recommend it to you. I hereby so do.

*Dr. Adeniyi, writer, public commentator and strategic and diasporic communication scholar, teaches Mass Communication at Baze University, Abuja.

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Akpabio Lashes Out at Tinubu’s Critics, Says Nigeria Safe Despite Insecurity

Published

3 days ago

June 10, 2026

Eric

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has urged Nigerians to be careful of those trying to kidnap for ransom.

Akpabio argued on Tuesday that those behind kidnapping are perpetuating the activity to create an impression that Nigeria is not safe.

Speaking in Abuja during the commissioning of road projects to mark President Bola Tinubu’s third year anniversary, Akpabio said some of the president’s critics have resorted to paying youths to cause mayhem.

Akpabio accused Tinubu’s critics of focusing on insecurity instead of policy and infrastructure.

“Minister you said that people claimed that nothing is happening in Nigeria under the administration of President Tinubu. If they did not say that, how will they go for election? he asked rhetorically.

“If you realize what is happening recently, when they realized that they can’t talk about projects, performance, good laws, transformation in the Petroleum industry, subsidy removal that have been promised Nigerians for decades, they can no longer talk about the high-rise buildings in Abuja such as the NRS building, they resorted to paying young people and recruiting them to cause mayhem in the country.

“Be very vigilant and be careful about people trying to kidnap for ransom. They are kidnapping in order to give the impression that Nigeria is not safe.

“Our men and women in uniform have done tremendously well but many people will not know and that is why I keep saying that the devil you see today, you will soon see them no more.

“Elections will come and go; elections will never be our end; we will see the end of elections; it will never see our end,” he said.

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The Search for Justice: ADC vs Tsoho

Published

5 days ago

June 8, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

From the first day the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took a new shape in July, 2025, in readiness to wrest power from the government of the day, crises, allegedly engineered by the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC), have remained its lot.

From the struggle for leadership positions to the fight to save itself from deregistration, the hitherto coalition and main opposition party, has remained in a battle for its life and existence. And has not relented in the search for lasting justice. This time, it has taken the law itself to court to ensure that justice is not only done, but seen to have been done.

It would be recalled that shortly after the the party ratified the election of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Chairman and Secretary of the party respectively, skirmishes were noticed among the rank and file of the party as a supposedly former deputy national chairman of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe, claimed chairmanship of party, saying that since the founding chairman had resigned, it is constitutionally incumbent upon him to automatically assume the chairmanship role.

Gombe’s claims came on the heels of his ‘resignation’ from office, which paved the way for a new national executive of the party to be constituted. But his claims did not deter the party from carrying on with the formation and running of the party, including holding a keenly contested presidential primary election, which produced His Excellency, the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. So Gombe went to court. Yet, Mark and Aregbesola carried on the running of the party.

As a result, Gombe had approached a court for an order restraining Mark leadership from parading themselves as leaders of the ADC pending the hearing and determination of his suit challenging their leadership.

He had also asked the court to issue another order against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), restraining it from recognizing the Mark leadership.

But in his ruling in the interlocutory application, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered Gombe to put the defendants on notice so that they appear before the court to show cause, why the application should not be granted.

Rather than appearing before the trial court to show cause, the defendant appealed to the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court to dabble into the matter they described as internal matters of the ADC.

The appellate court in dismissing the appeal for lacking in merit, ordered accelerated hearing in the suit and further ordered all parties to maintain status quo ante bellum.

Dissatisfied, Mark had approached the appellate court but, his appeal was dismissed and the matter returned to the trial court.

With the to and from nature of the cases involving the ADC leadership crisis, the party has accused judges of bias in favoring party detractors and disobedience to court rules among other malice, the party has taken a new route to obtain the much eluded justice, and that involves charging the custodians of the law to court.

Consequently, the ADC has filed a lawsuit before a High Court in Abuja involving the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, over concerns arising from the ongoing leadership dispute within the party.

Also joined in the suit is the National Judicial Council (NJC), which the party said had not addressed issues it raised regarding the handling of a case challenging the leadership of former Senate President, Senator David Mark, within the ADC.

The lawsuit, dated June 4, 2026, was filed by the National Welfare Secretary of the ADC, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who is seeking to be joined in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the Mark-led leadership of the party.

According to the suit, Ukandu expressed concerns about the handling of the matter and alleged that the actions of both Justice Tsoho and Justice Peter Lifu, the judge assigned to hear the case, could affect confidence in the proceedings.

The lawsuit further stated that the assignment of the case to Justice Lifu stirred concerns among some members of the party, who believe the process may not guarantee a fair hearing.

The legal action marks a fresh twist in the leadership dispute within the ADC, which has attracted significant political attention ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Aside Justice John Tsoho, other defendants are the National Judicial Council (NJC), and Justice Peter Lifu, a judge newly assigned to hear the suit challenging the Senator David Mark-led leadership of ADC.

The plaintiff, who was seeking to be joined in the Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the Mark-led leadership, accused the chief judge and Lifu of manifest bias, and willingness to do the biddings of persons against the interest of the party.

Ukandu, in the suit he personally filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, faulted the chief judge for reassigning the suit to Lifu, in alleged disregard of the orders of the Supreme Court as well as Justice Emeka Nwite of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, who initially heard the suit brought by Gombe against the party.

The plaintiff, in the suit marked FHC/ ABJ/ CS/ 1165/2026, recalled that an appeal from an interlocutory decision of Nwite rose to the Supreme Court, wherein the apex court on April 30, 2026, “made an order of remittance of Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025: Nafiu Bala Gombe VS. ADC & 4 ORS back to Justice Emeka Nwite for continuation of hearing of pending applications challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court.”

He stated that upon resumption of hearing before Nwite, the plaintiff wrote to the chief judge praying for a reassignment of the matter to another judge of the Honourable Court.

Ukandu stated, “All the defendants’ counsel, including counsel to the applicants seeking to be joined in this matter, opposed the said application by the plaintiff’s counsel and Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite thereafter adjourned the matter sine die pending the service of the said letter by the plaintiff’s on all the parties in the matter, outcome of the letter by the 2nd defendant and the furnishing of the CTC of the judgement of the Supreme Court to the court.

“Without complying with the orders of the Supreme Court and Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite, the 2nd Defendant in abuse of his judicial powers reassigned this matter,” to Lifu.

He added that the third defendant, on his part, pretending not to see the order of Nwite, went ahead and fixed the matter for hearing for June 3, 2026.

Ukandu further recalled that ADC had on May 7 informed the public through a press release that the chief judge had planned to reassign the case to another judge favourable to the plaintiff.

He said the party had “warned against such unethical practice but the 2nd Defendant despite the public outcry reassigned the suit to the 3rd Defendant who have been nick-named as ‘Wike Judges’.”

He stated that the third defendant had started presiding over the matter, despite taking judicial notice of the orders of the Supreme Court and Nwite, and that the matter came up for hearing before the third defendant.

Though neither the Federal High Court nor the National Judicial Council had publicly responded to the issues raised so far, it is imperative to to state that the ADC appears to have lost interest in both the judiciary, which it believe is kowtowing to the dictates of Gombe, and by extension the body language of the Federal Government.

The ADC appears to have managed to draw the sympathy of the public as a group known as the Grassroots Mobilization Network (GMN), has lent their voice to the supposed injustice leveled against the Mark-led ADC, raising concerns about the handling of the matter, and calling for transparency in the judicial process.

The group alleged that the judiciary was being used to target opposition parties.

The group expressed concern over what it described as growing public distrust in the judiciary and called on relevant authorities to ensure fairness and transparency in the handling of politically sensitive cases.

While Nigerians await the outcome of the litigation, and other resolution of other sundry issues arising from the ADC and the judiciary, the party is going ahead making last minute transparent efforts to nominate a suitable running mate to bear the presidential flag with the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Among the party’s shortlists are the first runner-up in the presidential primary, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Akinwumi Adesina, Emeka Ihedioha, Emeka Nwajiuba and Chief Dele Momodu.

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Gunmen Abduct Ex-Power Minister Adelabu’s Sister, Her Two Sons in Ibadan

Published

1 week ago

June 3, 2026

Eric

Suspected gunmen have abducted the sister of a former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The family of former minister and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) confirmed the abduction, disclosing that Mrs. Olaide John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons were kidnapped by the gunmen on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

According to a statement issued by Adelabu’s media aide, Femi Awogboro, the victims were kidnapped at about 7:30am while Mrs. John-Paul was taking her children to school.

Mrs. John-Paul, the youngest of five children of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu, reportedly retired voluntarily from her career at First Bank Pension Custodian in 2025 before relocating to Ibadan with her children.

She was said to be making arrangements to join her husband, who had earlier relocated to the US.

The family expressed deep concern over the development but stated that security agencies had already commenced efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible.

“We are pleased to confirm that security operatives have swung into action and preliminary investigations have commenced in earnest,” the statement partly read.

While appealing for calm, the family urged members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information that could undermine ongoing rescue operations.

“We are deeply distressed by this unfortunate incident, but remain hopeful that the victims will be rescued safely. We appeal to the public to remain calm, avoid speculation and support ongoing efforts with prayers,” the statement added.

The family also called on anyone with useful information that could aid the rescue operation to promptly share such intelligence with security agencies through the appropriate channels.

It assured that it would continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities and provide updates as investigations and rescue efforts progress.