Dele Momodu Recounts How Owning Over 15 Phones Nearly Got Him Detained in the US
- Dele Momodu recounted a tense encounter with security at London's Heathrow Airport after officers discovered 18 phones in his bag
- The Ovation magazine publisher said special forces were called and he was questioned about his profession and why he was carrying so many devices
- Momodu described how he pulled out his iPad to name-drop two of the world's most powerful figures to prove his identity as a journalist
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
Veteran Nigerian journalist and publisher of Ovation magazine Dele Momodu has shared a gripping account of the time he nearly missed a flight after Heathrow Airport security flagged the staggering number of phones in his luggage.
In a video that began circulating on X on September 15, 2026, Dele Momodu described the scene in vivid detail.
Source: Instagram
According to the journalist, he was passing through Heathrow en route to South Africa when security stopped him, found 18 phones in his bag, and called in special forces to inspect them.
"When they stopped me," he recounted, "they just called Special Force to come put all the phones in a tray."
Officers then asked what he did for a living. He told them he was a journalist. Their follow-up:
"Is that why you are carrying 18 phones?" His response was characteristically unbothered — "I said I didn't read anywhere that I can't carry 18 phones."
How Dele Momodu used name-dropping to walk free
When asked for proof of his profession, Dele Momodu reached for his iPad and opened his contacts.
The first name he showed officers was Queen Elizabeth II. He then produced a contact for former US President Bill Clinton.
"That's the only way a black man will survive," he explained, adding that demonstrating he was not a regular person, while remaining calm throughout, was key.
"Name-dropping is part of media," he said. "Who do you know? Who have you interviewed? Who have you met?"
The ordeal did not end there. Customs officials flagged the 18 phones as a "commercial quantity" and took him in for further questioning, where he repeated the same routine.
He showed them the Queen's contact again, noting with humour that "the Queen is the head of the customs in England."
He was eventually cleared to leave, though he admitted he nearly missed his flight.
Dele Momodu, who lived in the United Kingdom as a refugee in the mid-1990s after fleeing political pressures in Nigeria, is widely known for his extensive relationships across media, politics and entertainment.
He met Queen Elizabeth II briefly during her 2003 visit to Nigeria while covering the event for Ovation, and a 2008 photograph placed him alongside Bill Clinton.
As for the phones, Momodu joked that he has since "retired" from carrying so many, down to just six.
Watch Dele Momodu recount his US ordeal in the X video below:
Fans react to Dele Momodu's Heathrow story
@TomTom_149 wrote:
"Love him or loathe him, Bobdee is one of the most influential Nigerian alive. He has built sacred relationships with who is who in Nigeria, Africa and globally."
@vibesNfacts commented:
"I can assure you that you cannot get hold of the queen twice in a row like that. Not sure of the Clinton's but I am pretty sure it is the same case with Bill Clinton too. Lamba master."
@olulade15 shared:
"Entertainment journalists of these era need to study this man. He is GOATED. Connection too choke!!! Always rolling with the high and mighty. How he got to dat level needs 2 b studied. I can never doubt his claim. He might have those numbers truly if you dey read ovation magazine."
Source: Instagram
Dele Momodu sets condition to support President Tinubu
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Dele Momodu said he would go to extraordinary lengths to support President Bola Tinubu if he governed according to the democratic values they fought for during military rule.
The publisher explained that his criticism of Tinubu focused on policies and governance, while acknowledging the President’s past mentorship and role in his political development.
Momodu and Tinubu have shared ties dating back to the June 12 pro-democracy struggle, but he now worries that the democratic space Nigerians fought for could be weakened under civilian rule.
Source: Legit.ng
