Momodu shares, deletes alleged rejection letter on Babangida, sparks outrage

Veteran journalist and Ovation Magazine publisher, Dele Momodu, has come under fire after posting an alleged rejection letter claiming Mohammed Babangida declined his appointment as Chairman of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), only to later delete the post and publish a congratulatory message.

The controversy began on Monday when a letter surfaced online, purportedly signed by Mohammed Babangida — son of former military president Ibrahim Babangida — citing “a convergence of personal and professional considerations” for allegedly turning down the role. Momodu was among the first prominent figures to share the letter, giving it wide traction on social media.

Shortly after, a statement released on behalf of Babangida confirmed that he had indeed accepted the appointment.

The Presidency also weighed in, dismissing the circulating letter as “fake news” via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle and asking the public to ignore it.

Following the clarification, Momodu quietly deleted his earlier post and replaced it with a congratulatory message to Babangida. His abrupt U-turn drew criticism from commentators who accused him of spreading unverified information.

Public affairs analyst Zara Onyinye reacted strongly to the incident, saying, “So, it was Dele Momodu that actually generated and pushed the fake news out? Until someone is used heavily on fake news and other mischievous syndrome, others won’t learn.”

The authenticity of the alleged rejection letter has not been independently verified. However, Mohammed Babangida’s camp has maintained that he remains grateful for the appointment and is committed to the role.

Despite the backlash, Momodu has not issued a formal apology or clarification as at the time of filing this report.