Sixty-five today, the publisher of Ovation International, Chief Ayobamidele Momodu, is a pride, not just of the media but the nation. writes.

Chief Ayobamidele Momodu’s story of grass to grace is public knowledge. All of the information is already out there. This is because he discusses his life and its intricate trajectory at every given opportunity with glee and self-esteem.

At the punch of a button, you’d have all you need to knowabout this proud media guru and indigene of Edo State, who chose to “naturalise” in Yorubaland, making Ile-Ife, the source, his birth station. Little wonder, his other names include Ojutelegan Ajani.

With a bit of mild activism spurred by instinctive resentment to abuse of any sort, this celebrated writer has conquered where many could not even dare. And, where many had failed, Bob Dee, as everyone calls him, is not one to be stifled by the failures of others. He’d rather make his own mistakes and learn from them.

His indomitable spirit, typical of the average Nigerian – man or woman – who carries him or herself with rare confidence and self-worth, is also why life has been unable to relegate him in the scheme of things.

He does not only catch up with trends in journalism and communications in general, but he always makes a conscious decision at self-development, just to stay active on the job, timelessly. That he has remained relevant for several decades is not a function of accident.

His willingness and readiness to help others, no matter what the issues are, is one trait that speaks to his individuality, and clearly a reflection of his thorough upbringing and the tolerant Yoruba environment, where life began for him – diped in the milk of kindness and their cultural hospitality.

With an enduring voyage on the media landscape, cutting across imposing brands and years of solid experience before setting out to do something different, not before building solid and expensive contacts in this multidisciplinary calling, it simply belies logic that anyone at all would question whether or not Bob Dee is a journalist?

With tongue-in-cheek and evident cynicism, an aide to the Minister of the FCT, LereOlayinka, during a recent interview on the Arise News Television, questioned Bob Dee’s journalism background. For convenient mischief, he’d rather he was a Babalawo because he studied Yoruba as his first degree. The effrontery alone is appalling!

A graduate of Yoruba and Master’s in English Literature from the University of Ife, (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in 1982, Momodu got his first media job as staff writer with African Concord magazine, owned by the late Chief MKO Abiola, and later transferred to the Weekend Concord as a pioneer staff.

This graduate of Yoruba wrote the first cover story for the newspaper in March 1989, and contributed to other titles such as the National Concord, Sunday Concord, Business Concord and of course, his turf, the Yoruba newspaper, Isokan.

Bob Dee, the Yoruba graduate, said to have missed his calling as Babalawo soon became the literary editor within six months that he became the news editor of the Weekend Concord. He went on to edit May Ellen Ezekiel’s Classique, a celebrity magazine, an appointment that made him the highest paid editor in Nigeria.

From setting up his own public relations outfit, Celebrities-Goodwill Limited, and later, the prestigious Ovation Magazine, which brought the world to its avid readers in the comfort of their homes, what else could have qualified this amiable son of the soil as a journalist?

In spite of his several engagements and busy schedule, both as a politician and journalist, Bob Dee still maintains a column on the back page of Nigeria’s foremost national daily, THISDAY,  where he intervenes regularly in critical and topical issues.

If such staggering experience on the job does not suffice, could anyone have wished away his accomplishments, as one of the names still contributing immensely to the growth of journalism in Nigeria, many years after cutting his teeth on the job, and in spite of his avowed Yoruba and English backgrounds?

Unfortunately, if the Babalawo reference was intended to demystify and mortify him, it might have turned out a fitting autograph for a man, who has a rich knowledge of journalism, and could, by his practice and exploits, predict events near accurately, in addition to setting agenda for Nigeria’s mercurial political economy.

Bob Dee is not one to be talked down on the job by any irreverent fellow, regardless of what degrees they lay claims to, especially when such characters have nothing outstanding to be recorded against their names in the same journalism.

A local product with global acclaim, Bob Dee, has built such a sprawling network of friends across the world that there’s hardly any door he cannot knock on, and he will never be denied entry. That could not be by chance or mere luck. Even if such elements were present, perhaps, it is largely a product of hard work, spanning many years.

While Bob Dee will never seek validation from anyone, particularly those not qualified to share space with him on anything, much less journalism, futile efforts to underwrite his deeds will never secure any recognition, let alone gain traction.

Decent professions or trades always protect their best except in a gathering of misfits, quacks, or amateurs.

Many congratulations to the world-renowned Bob Dee, and happy 65th birthday.