From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Dr. Doyinsola Abiola, a pioneering journalist and former Managing Director of the now-defunct Concord Group of newspapers.
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Abiola, aged 82, was also the wife of the late Bashorun MKO Abiola, Nigeria’s revered businessman and political icon.
President Tinubu described Mrs. Abiola as “an Amazon and an icon in Nigerian journalism,” who broke significant barriers in a male-dominated profession. After graduating from the University of Ibadan in 1969 with a degree in English and Drama, she embarked on a career in journalism, initially working as a reporter at the Daily Sketch. She would go on to become the first woman to edit a national newspaper in Nigeria, and later the first female Managing Director of a daily newspaper.
In a statement he personally signed, President Tinubu remarked that her trailblazing contributions to journalism and gender equity were foundational for many generations of women journalists, the President remarked, noting her enduring impact on Nigerian democracy.
He recalled that as the pioneer Editor of the National Concord in 1980, owned by her late husband, Abiola demonstrated a commitment to excellence that earned public trust and admiration. She also founded the Weekend Concord, a publication that heightened human-interest reporting and raised journalistic standards.
He said his personal connection with Dr. Abiola was rooted in his own closeness to the late MKO Abiola. Reflecting on her political engagement, the President said, “As MKO’s wife, Doyin became acquainted with politics and took a keen interest in it, particularly during her husband’s 1993 presidential campaign.”
The President highlighted her crucial role in mobilizing and guiding the media during that campaign. Following the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election—widely acknowledged as won by MKO Abiola—she boldly confronted the military junta’s clampdown by demanding the election’s validation. “She was a soldier of democracy in her own right,” President Tinubu affirmed.
Emphasising her legacy beyond journalism, President Tinubu stated, “Nigerians will never forget Doyin Abiola’s leadership during her illustrious career, her championing of women’s empowerment, and her unwavering dedication to democratic governance.”
He extended condolences to the Abiola and Aboaba families, including her only daughter, Doyinsola, and to the governments and peoples of Lagos and Ogun States.
He concluded with a prayer: “May her soul rest in peace. May this nation be blessed with more women of Doyin Abiola’s calibre and pedigree.”
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