There are a few key words that immediately set my teeth on edge. Long time readers of my blog will know that these include but are not limited to Madonna, Tom Cruise, Lagos traffic and British Airways. This list is by no means exhaustive and as I get older and more crotchety I continually add to it. Today the honour falls to Mr Momodu – the publisher of Ovation Magazine.
For those not familiar with this glossy it is a celebration of everything shiny and bright in Nigeria (and now several other undeserving countries). Now despite the opening paragraph above I also adopt a live and let live attitude. (Wait now. Stop laughing). Don’t invade my space and I will surely stay out of yours. However over the past two weeks Mr Momodu via his column on the back pages of the This Day newspapers on Sunday has been pontificating about what is wrong with Nigeria and has therefore stepped into my space.
This week’s article was about the large number of VIPs we now have in our midst who go so far as to take their bodyguards everywhere with them. Even into Church where said bodyguard blocks the view of the regular, normal members of the congregation!! Mr Momodu questions why this is necessary when even the US President is often seen delivering speeches without some guard casting a shadow over him. Last week's article was no better.
So what’s my beef? Well, I refer back to said Ovation magazine as published by Mr Momodu which celebrated and continues to celebrate the “achievements” of some of the most dubious and odious characters in this country. As a matter of fact as far back as three years ago I started referring to the “Ovation lifestyle” meaning people who with no discernible means of income would be photographed in their huge mansions displaying the usual gold plated tat or lounging casually against a Rolls Royce or some other material indicator of their “arrival”.
I particularly remember the birthday party for a particular Anambra State godfather’s child whom I believe was turning two. If I recall correctly there was a full edition dedicated to this “celebration” including glitzy photos of the aforementioned mansion, Roller and other candied yams. Now as far as I am aware I have never read a single business journal here or abroad wherein the name of Mr Rivers State was mentioned as a great industrialist being that he invented this, manufactured that or produced the other. The fact that his elder brother was at that time sitting at the kitchen table with our then President speaks volumes.
So how can the publisher of a magazine who is happy to take money from all and sundry to appear in his rag then pontificate about said flotsam and jetsam if they start to believe the hype and act accordingly? Has he not himself legitimised their actions? Is he not sending the message that regardless of where and how you get your money that it does not matter? Is he not celebrating the very vices which he now denounces? Is this not what is called talking out of both sides of your mouth?
For those not familiar with this glossy it is a celebration of everything shiny and bright in Nigeria (and now several other undeserving countries). Now despite the opening paragraph above I also adopt a live and let live attitude. (Wait now. Stop laughing). Don’t invade my space and I will surely stay out of yours. However over the past two weeks Mr Momodu via his column on the back pages of the This Day newspapers on Sunday has been pontificating about what is wrong with Nigeria and has therefore stepped into my space.
This week’s article was about the large number of VIPs we now have in our midst who go so far as to take their bodyguards everywhere with them. Even into Church where said bodyguard blocks the view of the regular, normal members of the congregation!! Mr Momodu questions why this is necessary when even the US President is often seen delivering speeches without some guard casting a shadow over him. Last week's article was no better.
So what’s my beef? Well, I refer back to said Ovation magazine as published by Mr Momodu which celebrated and continues to celebrate the “achievements” of some of the most dubious and odious characters in this country. As a matter of fact as far back as three years ago I started referring to the “Ovation lifestyle” meaning people who with no discernible means of income would be photographed in their huge mansions displaying the usual gold plated tat or lounging casually against a Rolls Royce or some other material indicator of their “arrival”.
I particularly remember the birthday party for a particular Anambra State godfather’s child whom I believe was turning two. If I recall correctly there was a full edition dedicated to this “celebration” including glitzy photos of the aforementioned mansion, Roller and other candied yams. Now as far as I am aware I have never read a single business journal here or abroad wherein the name of Mr Rivers State was mentioned as a great industrialist being that he invented this, manufactured that or produced the other. The fact that his elder brother was at that time sitting at the kitchen table with our then President speaks volumes.
So how can the publisher of a magazine who is happy to take money from all and sundry to appear in his rag then pontificate about said flotsam and jetsam if they start to believe the hype and act accordingly? Has he not himself legitimised their actions? Is he not sending the message that regardless of where and how you get your money that it does not matter? Is he not celebrating the very vices which he now denounces? Is this not what is called talking out of both sides of your mouth?
And the most galling bit of all is that having helped to create the monsters that regularly appear glossily in his glossy Mr Momodu sensibly decamped to the safety and relative calm of Ghana from whence he pontificates only popping into Nigeria to celebrate another occasion with another "big boy or girl".
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9 comments:
Looooooooooooool...nice one!! I thought I was the only person who had a problem with the magazine. I believe a person of Dele's calibre should have had a content driven publication by now. There is no harm in featuring some of these "rich" people in there but there should be something else to offer the reader besides all the parties he covers.
Even HELLO has some interesting features!! I think he can borrow a leaf from the Ebony Magazine.
Like you said it gets sickening celebrating people who might in fact be 419ers and worst still criminals!
'Took the words from my mouth. I couldn't have said it better myself. And to think he goes around parading himself as a VIP as well. Puuleease give me a half of a break.
Again very well Said!
Lady A.
Wow!!! Actually, I have been reading Dele Momodu's column since the days he was writing for Mee Damijo's Classique to Concord Newspapers and even his role as the pioneer Editor of Thisday Newspapers. I am pleased he started writing again.
I am not a fan of Ovation either but some of these crooks etc pay to be featured in the magazine. I also see very many corrupt governors taking sponsored coloured pages in "respectable" magazines like Tell, Newswatch and yet we dont bat an eyelid. Why single Momodu for condemnation?
I totally agree with you. I make sure i avoid Dele Momodu's columns whenever i see them. I despise Ovation and the culture it promotes and edifies (and let's not mention the bad grammar, typos and excessive use of superlatives!), but my grouse with him does not lie there. Afterall, i never waste my hard earned money buying such crap. I leave that to the mugus.
My real issue with Dele Momodu is that he writes these articles on Thisday, and uses evry opportunity possible to drop as many names as he can, and mention every foreign country he has travelled to. So crass! I tried to read him because of his supposed reputation as a columnist years ago...However, either he has totally transformed, or those readers were imagining things.
As far as i'm concerned, he is a carpetbagger and sycophant.
@Florence, Anon! and MsMak - thanks for your comments. I certainly did not expect that so many others felt the same way. I was even more surprised when I did a google search on Mr M and I came across a whole raft of mails on Nairaland. Seems he is really getting up people's noses.
@Anon2 - I take your valid point about other mags that also cater to the "guiltirati" but the differnce is that their editors are not on the back of my Sunday paper pontificating and causing me to choke on my cocoa puffs.
Such venom Sir. Actually, Momodu is on the back of Thisday on Saturday ... lol...
I think a distinction should be made between the message and the messenger. You might not like the man or what he represents/what you think he represents but some of his points in the recent articles are valid.
If people despise the man so much, perhaps they can at least pick the good points in some of these articles and ignore the fact that they were written by him.
@Bwari Boy - not really venom. More like exasperation at the level of hypocrisy. Of course there is no need for anyone to have to take thier bodygaurd into church but when your publication has elevated these non entities to a level where they feel they need to do that then you should hold your hands up.
Furthermore your case would hold more water if you were not constantly getting yourself photographed enjoying their hospitality with these same flotsam and jetsam at every opportunity.
Hey , your blog is the ish!!
Read Mr Momodu's write up in total amazement!! Like the hypocrisy of it all! He indicts himself when he purports to pass any deep commentary...has he forgotten that he regularly had the abachas featured even while in other media he blamed the late gen. for his exile? sheesh...no intergrity
Damilola
Hear! Hear!
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