“Ní ibi tí orí máa dé, èsè ló máa gbé dé bè” – by ‘dayo Adedayo

This is not just a Yoruba proverb — it is the living truth of my journey.

This is an ode to a man whose influence radiates far beyond titles, and whose humanity speaks louder than any headline: Otunba Bamidele Ojutelegan Momodu, affectionately known to all as Bob D.
A man of the people. A bridge between worlds. A cultural colossus who, without wielding a camera, shaped the face of modern Nigerian photography through the global platform he built: Ovation International Magazine.

We met in 2002 at a wedding in Wandsworth, London, where I was the official photographer for the Popoola family. What seemed like an ordinary assignment turned into an extraordinary encounter. Long before that day, I had dreamt of freelancing for Ovation. In the early 2000s, Ovation was not just a magazine — it was our social media before social media. A glamorous, trailblazing publication that gave African success a glossy face and a global voice.

The names that lit up the masthead then were legends in their own right: Dragan Mikki, Ajayi Oyebo, Bodise Wilson. Later came Banke Ibrahim Alayaki, Tope Brown, and Isaac Adegbite. But it is impossible to tell the story of Ovation’s heart without Michael Effiong James, the longtime editor — a man of wisdom, quiet strength, and endless kindness. His kindness has never waned, and he deserves his own flowers.

That fateful day in Wandsworth, Bob D was deeply impressed — not just by my photographs, but by the gear I used. I was shooting with a Mamiya RZ67, a manual, medium-format camera weighing over 15kg with accessories. Many had never even seen one in use. Then I handed him my business card, a photographic masterpiece in itself. He looked at me with respect and said without words, “You’re not just a photographer. You are an artist.”

What he didn’t know then was that I had been quietly lobbying Captain Rotimi Seriki, elder brother to my childhood friend Akinlami Seriki, to introduce me to him. As fate would have it, they met that same weekend. Bob D told him, “Dayo needs no introduction. We’ve met — the boy is more than good.” Destiny doesn’t knock twice. That weekend, mine walked through the door.

But here’s the part many don’t know: I had lived in the UK for sixteen years as an undocumented immigrant. I never broke the law. I never married for papers. I believed in time. In destiny. Just two weeks after I received my Indefinite Stay, I met Bob D. Call it coincidence. I know better. It was divine orchestration.

From that point on, my passport became my canvas — five passports in just two years, filled with stamps, visas, and stories. Thanks to Bob D and Ovation International Magazine, my camera became a diplomatic pass, and the world, my open-air studio.

From Manhattan’s bright lights to the souks of Dubai. From the piazzas of Italy to the fjords of Norway. From the streets of Holland to the corridors of Rome. From New Jersey, Atlanta, and Houston — each frame told a new story.
In total, Ovation took me to 39 countries. Some airports became so familiar, immigration officers began to recognize me — often wondering how I flew so often in first or business class. That was Bob D: “If you’re working with the best, you must look the part.”

One of my most unforgettable assignments came in Barcelona when I was sent to photograph football legend Patrick Kluivert with BBC’s Osasu Obayiuwana. I was on the field, not the stands — live. After the session, I had full access to Camp Nou, from pitch to tunnel to the glistening FC Barcelona Museum. It was magical.

Later, at Schiphol Airport, I was stopped again for frequent travels. As they flipped through my portfolio, they paused at Kluivert’s portrait. One guard called another, then another. Suspicion turned to celebration. In that moment, I wasn’t just a Nigerian photographer — I was a global storyteller, representing Africa with class.

In 2003, I had the rare honour of photographing Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Nigeria for CHOGM. Ovation was the official magazine to the British High Commission, and I covered the entire ceremony. At the private dinner, I met and photographed some of Nigeria’s finest in an intimate setting.

Bob D opened the world to me. But more than that, he taught me humility. He insisted I appear in photos with the legends I photographed. I was too modest. Too shy. Only recently have I embraced his advice. Oh, what an archive it would’ve been if I had started earlier.

Bob D treats everyone the same — hawker or president. That grace is rare. His reach is his wealth. Like Chief MKO Abiola, his mentor, Bob D understands the power of people. His currency is kindness. His wealth lies in the lives he has touched.

Even though we sit on different sides of the political aisle, he never lets that divide us. That’s maturity. That’s friendship.

As he turns 65, my prayer is this:

• May your children surpass you in greatness.
• May Madam, your pillar, enjoy more of your presence and peace.
• May you live long, laugh loud, and walk strong in the love of those you’ve lifted.
• May the good you’ve done, known and unknown, rise up for you in old age.

You’ve changed the trajectory of so many lives — including mine.

You took an unknown Nigerian boy, son of Okeliwo, Ijebu Ife, from Ijebu East LGA, Ogun State, whose dreams once echoed through red earth and rustling palms, and handed him the world.

Because of you, Okeliwo now rings in boardrooms, airports, galleries, and grand halls across continents.
You didn’t just change my story — you made generations from my village lift their heads higher.

And for that, Bob D, history will remember you — not just as a media mogul, but as a destiny midwife.

Thank you, Bob D.
You are, and always will be, an enigma.

With eternal gratitude,
From the one you’ve always called:
Dayooooo000000 —
a name that echoes your warmth and carries the rhythm of brotherhood.

Written by: ‘Dayo Adedayo