- Momodu had planned to leave Lagos at 5 a.m. for a routine multi-country drive to Cotonou, Lomé, and Accra
- He said the search for the missing particulars dragged into the night, forcing him to cancel the journey around 11 p.m
- He said the attempted coup brought back painful memories
Media entrepreneur and former presidential aspirant Dele Momodu says a last-minute disruption to his planned road trip likely saved him from being caught in the attempted coup in the Benin Republic.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Momodu shared the experience on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, noting that he was scheduled to be in Cotonou at the exact period the crisis unfolded.
EDITOR’S PICK
- Senator Katung Explains Defection to APC
- Over 160,000 Lagos Residents Living with HIV
- UEFA Bans Luis Díaz For Three Champions League Matches
Momodu had planned to leave Lagos at 5 a.m. for a routine multi-country drive to Cotonou, Lomé, and Accra, a route he frequently enjoys due to light Sunday traffic.
However, the trip was aborted when he discovered his driver only had a photocopy of the vehicle documents—a situation he said immediately made him uncomfortable.
He said the search for the missing particulars dragged into the night, forcing him to cancel the journey around 11 p.m.
He later informed his travel partners that the trip would not hold, a decision he now believes was divine intervention that kept him away from the unfolding drama in Benin.
Momodu recalled his long history with border travel, including his dramatic 1995 escape from Nigeria through Seme border during the military regime.
He said the attempted coup brought back painful memories and further highlighted the growing democratic instability across West Africa.
The Benin government announced Sunday that loyal forces repelled the coup attempt after soldiers stormed state television to declare the removal of President Patrice Talon.
The region has witnessed multiple military takeovers in recent years, raising concerns about democratic backsliding.
FURTHER READING
