Media mogul, Dele Momodu has taken to social media to reveal the circumstances that led to the departure of his friendship with former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.
Momodu, in a lengthy post on Instagram on Wednesday night, explained that the former Rivers governor lacks anger management despite being hospitable.
The Ovation Media Group chairman covered some of Wike’s activities in the second term of his administration. Their relationship nosedived in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election.
Momodu wrote, “Many friends and colleagues have asked me what went wrong between former GOVERNOR NYESOM WIKE and I. My response: I was a friend of former GOVERNOR ROTIMI AMAECHI. We became friends one night when I was invited by MALLAM ISMAILA FUNTUA alongside PRINCE NDUKA OBAIGBENA and ALHAJI KABIRU YUSUF to Port Harcourt… WIKE was very hospitable. I loved his candor.
Our next meeting was during his row with MAZI NNAMDI KANU, over the massacre in OBIGBO (or OYIGBO). KANU had accused WIKE of killing his people and I waded in via interviews with both of them. WIKE was impressed with my neutrality and professionalism. He wasted no time in engaging the services of Ovation International and we worked assiduously on his brand and it was a win win for both of us. I truly admired, and still appreciate, his uncommon capacity for project deliveries that earned him the moniker MR PROJECTS… But there was only one major snag, lack of anger management.
WIKE obviously was planning his Presidential bid and he must have thought no one close should contest against him, but he never even told those closest to him anything. I went ahead to confide in him and to ask for his support.
Suddenly, I noticed a lull in our relationship. I reached out to our mutual friend, former Attorney General & Minister of Justice, MOHAMMED ADOKE (SAN) who passed on my concerns to WIKE. He called me late that night to disabuse my mind but he still remained cold, thereafter.
The last straw was when a viral video started flying from WIKE’s interview with SEUN OKINBALOYE of Channels Tv in which SEUN asked WIKE about the likes of DELE MOMODU, in the race, and he passed snide and condescending remarks about me. I would have expected him to simply say ‘Democracy guarantees everyone’s rights…’”
Momodu added that their relationship suffered a fatal blow after Atiku defeated Wike in the PDP’s primary.
“WIKE declared any supporter of ATIKU a persona non grata… In his frequent interviews, he taunted me for scoring zero in the PDP Primary, and I responded that my case was much better because I paid for nothing and got nothing… He spent billions and still lost,” he said.
