Tinubu, Atiku , NAPAN, Mourn As Media Icon, Doyin Abiola, MKO’s Wife Dies at 82

RYNI News | Omotayo Stephen . O
8 August 2025

Nigeria’s journalistic landscape stands still as tributes pour in for Dr Doyin Abiola, the formidable matriarch of Nigerian media and widow of the late MKO Abiola, whose death at the age of 82 marks the end of an era defined by fearless journalism, democratic advocacy, and trailblazing leadership.

Dr Abiola, celebrated as the first woman to helm a national newspaper in Nigeria, passed away on Tuesday night. Her passing has drawn an emotional cascade of tributes from leaders across the political and media spectrum, highlighting a legacy etched in courage, intellect, and patriotic resilience.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a deeply personal tribute, hailed Dr Abiola as a “towering icon of the press, a brave Amazon in the fight for democracy, and a relentless champion of women’s empowerment.” Reflecting on her pivotal role during the June 12, 1993 crisis, Tinubu recalled how she fearlessly challenged the military regime that annulled her husband’s electoral victory. “She stood not just as a wife but as a soldier of democracy in her own right,” the President declared.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar lauded her as “a fiery journalist, human rights crusader, and a symbol of moral clarity,” while Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State emphasised her strength during Nigeria’s most volatile political periods. “Her legacy goes beyond journalism—she epitomised sacrifice, resilience, and moral conviction,” Abiodun said.

A journalism scholar with a PhD in Communications and Politics, Dr Abiola joined the Concord Press in its early days and swiftly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief—a historic feat for a woman in the male-dominated newsroom of the 1980s. Under her leadership, Concord became not only a household name but a voice of the people, often at great personal and institutional risk during military clampdowns.

Her colleagues remember her not only for her intellect but for her maternal leadership. Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, described her as “a boss, a mother, and a mentor rolled into one—a woman of uncommon grace, grit, and genius.”

The Newspapers Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), mourning one of its own, called her “a rare breed in media history” and hailed her as the first woman to sit atop a national editorial desk.

Dr Doyin Abiola leaves behind a powerful legacy—one that shaped modern Nigerian journalism, inspired generations of women, and anchored a nation’s conscience during its darkest democratic trials.

The nation bows in respect as the media icon of Nigerian Journalism takes her final curtain.

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