Late MKO Abiola’s Wife, Doyin, Dies At 82

Dr. Doyin Abiola, widow of the late winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, has passed away at the age of 82.

According to PM News, she died at 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.

Dr. Abiola was a trailblazer in Nigerian journalism, famously becoming the first woman to serve as Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of a national daily. Long before her marriage to Nigeria’s most iconic pro-democracy figure, she had carved her own path as a formidable voice in the media.

She began her journalism career in 1969 at the Daily Sketch, where her widely read column, “Tiro,” tackled societal challenges and championed gender advocacy at a time when such conversations were rare.

In 1970, she travelled to the United States for postgraduate studies, earning a master’s degree in journalism. Upon her return, she joined the Daily Times as a Features Writer, rising to become Group Features Editor. She later obtained a PhD in Communications and Political Science in 1979.

Back in Nigeria, she served on the Daily Times editorial board, working alongside notable journalists including Dele Giwa, Stanley Macebuh, and Amma Ogan. Her historic appointment as the pioneer editor of National Concord, owned by MKO Abiola, cemented her place in media history.

By 1986, she had risen to the role of Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of National Concord, making her the first Nigerian woman to occupy such a prestigious position in the newspaper industry. Her leadership at the paper spanned over three decades, leaving an indelible mark on the country’s media landscape.

Married to MKO Abiola in 1981, Dr. Abiola was a steadfast partner through the highs of her journalism career and the political turbulence that followed her husband’s struggle to actualise his June 12 presidential mandate.