President Tinubu Mourns Death of Doyinsola Abiola as Deeply Saddening 

President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep sadness over the passing of veteran journalist, Dr. Doyinsola Hamidat Abiola, wife of the late Chief MKO Abiola, at the age of 82.

Dr. Abiola, a pioneering figure in Nigerian journalism, died on Tuesday, leaving behind a legacy of breaking gender barriers and contributing significantly to democratic governance and women’s empowerment.

Dr. Abiola began her journalism career with the defunct Daily Sketch after graduating from the University of Ibadan in 1969. She made history by becoming the first woman to edit a national newspaper and the first managing director of a daily newspaper. Her notable roles included pioneer editor of National Concord in 1980 and Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of all Concord titles.

President Tinubu highlighted Dr. Abiola’s crucial role in her husband’s presidential campaign and the subsequent struggle for the validation of the June 12 election. Despite the military junta’s shutdown of the Concord Group, she remained steadfast in demanding justice and electoral validation. Tinubu described her as a woman of “integrity, tenacity, hard work, commitment to excellence, and dedication to public good and democratic good governance”.

The President extended his condolences to the Abiola and Aboaba families, Dr. Abiola’s only daughter Doyinsola, and the governments and people of Lagos and Ogun states. “May her soul rest in peace. May this nation be blessed with more women of Doyin Abiola’s calibre and pedigree,” he stated.