Dele Momodu, a leading member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) opposition coalition, has revealed why his late mother once wondered if he intended to become a “Babalawo” or was being targeted by witches and wizards from his father’s village.
Speaking at the burial of the late Doyinsola Abiola — whom he affectionately called “Iya Paper” — Momodu recounted his early days in Lagos and his close association with the late MKO Abiola and his family. He explained that the suspicion grew after he studied Yoruba at university and struggled to find employment afterwards.
Momodu told the gathering about his time at Concord and the lessons he learned about navigating life and relationships, saying:
“I will like a day a big thank you to Iya Paper, that title is not original to me, the patent for that title belongs to Chief Mrs. Adebisi Abiola.
“Daddy had told me that if you want to be a polygamist, you must be a competent polygamist. So if you must be the son of a competent polygamist, then you must know how to navigate and meander in the home of a polygamist.
“So we will start from upstairs and go to mummy’s apartment, Alhaja Kudirat, then we will come to Chief Bisi Abiola and finally to ‘Iya Paper,’ who was my boss at Concord.
“I came to Lagos in 1988 in search of greener pastures, if I can borrow that cliché, and I was desperate for a job. I studied Yoruba for my first degree and I couldn’t get a job as a teacher.
“My mother was wondering if I wanted to become a Babalawo or why will I go to a university and studied Yoruba?
“Then I went back to do a master’s in Literature in English and I still couldn’t get a job, and my mother was wondering if witches and wizards were after me from my father’s village in Edo State.”
Momodu’s recollection painted a personal picture of the frustrations many graduates face and underscored how cultural beliefs and family worries can shape perceptions during difficult times.
