How I escaped Sunday coup in Benin Republic, Dele Momodu recounts
Media executive and Ovation magazine publisher, Dele Momodu, has shared how he and his team narrowly avoided being caught in the coup attempt that took place in Benin Republic.
The incident happened on Sunday, December 7, 2025 when the country was thrown into sudden political turmoil.
A group of soldiers in Benin had announced that they had removed President Patrice Talon, who was expected to leave office next April after completing 10 years in power.
The officers, calling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR), went on state television to declare that “Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic.”
Momodu later posted on his 𝕏 page that he and his companions would have been inside Benin at the time of the coup if not for a missing document that delayed their road trip.
He wrote: “OUR GOD DID THIS FOR US… My friend ROTIMI OBEY, the second son of legendary musician, CHIEF COMMANDER EBENEZER OBEY and I were to head out to Accra, Ghana, by road, this morning. All was set and ROTIMI went to bed early so that we can set out at 5 am. But something went wrong.
“Before going to bed, I asked my driver for the originals of my car documents. He said he had only the copies with him. I searched the Home Office in Victoria Island but I couldn’t find it. I then went to the Penthouse in Ikoyi to check my other office. Still no luck. So, I called ROTIMI at 10:38 PM to give him the decision to fly instead of driving. He agreed
“Meanwhile, my Beninese friend and mentee, ALEX DALMEIDA, was already in town waiting to accompany us through the French-speaking borders. So I called him at 23:02 last night to abort our road trip.
“I called PRECIOUS, my travel consultant, to check available flights. She got us tickets at 11:15PM. It was at the airport we received the news of the coup in Benin Republic… We barely missed it by the whiskers…”
Momodu said he was shocked by the development. He wrote: “Benin is one of West Africa’s most peaceful countries.
“The Benin’s President changed the constitution just last month to allow him extend his presidential term, this morning the military has overthrown him.”
