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From Tony Osauzo and Ighomuaye, Benin
It was an emotional event, yesterday, as Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, was received by the people of Ihievbe community in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State, his ancestral home, where he informed them of his intention to contest the presidency in 2023.
He said reuniting with his ancestral home has finally put an end to the teasing from many who accused him of not knowing his roots.
Though he did not indicate the party platform he would contest, Momodu assured his people that God has given them ‘a global champion’ in the person of his candidacy, adding that he has been practicing how to be the president of the country all these years and that the time has come for it to be truly manifest.
“My own people, my fathers, my mothers, my brothers and sisters, good afternoon. I am very happy to come home today. This is a day I have been looking forward to. I have our baba, I am told that our baba is 101 years old. Baba, thank you sir.
“This is a very emotional occasion for me and my wife told me don’t cry because I can imagine how my father left this village many years ago. I don’t know how he found his way to Ile Ife, settled in Ife, married my mum, and I am the only product of their marriage.
“I am so happy for this wonderful welcome. I like to thank our uncle, Yisa Braimoh, he is our father, thank you sir. You have been a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you will continue to be distinguished sir.
“All I have to do was to call uncle Braimoh and here we are. Is taking me 49 years after my father’s death for me to achieved this. My father died on June 14, 1973. I was 13 years old.
“I was not brought home because at that time there was a superstition that if you go home they will kill you. So, after my father died, I told my mother who is a Yoruba woman, I said I want to go to my village.
“I told my mother that if they kill me, they brought me to the world, they are free to take me away. It takes courage in 2004. It takes courage to do that because I was ready to see my people.”
