Media icon, MKO’s wife, Doyin Abiola dies at 82

Abiola

Trailblazing journalist, former Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of National Concord, and one of Nigeria’s most influential media figures, Dr. Doyin Abiola, has died at the age of 82.

She was one of the wives of the late winner of the June 12 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola.

One of the sons of the late MKO Abiola, Jamiu, confirmed her death to PUNCH Online on Wednesday.

“Yes, she passed away last night,” he said in the telephone interv

Widely celebrated as the first Nigerian woman to become editor-in-chief of a national daily newspaper, Dr. Abiola spent over three decades in the media industry, breaking barriers and shaping public discourse through journalism.

Born in 1943, she earned a degree in English and Drama from the University of Ibadan in 1969 and began her career at Daily Sketch, where she wrote a widely read column, Tiro, focusing on public and gender issues.

In 1970, she travelled to the United States for postgraduate studies, and later obtained a PhD in Communications and Political Science from New York University in 1979.

On her return to Nigeria, she joined Daily Times as a Features Writer and rose to the position of Group Features Editor.

She was later appointed to the paper’s editorial board, working alongside the likes of Stanley Macebuh, Dele Giwa, and Amma Ogan.

Doyin went on to become the pioneer daily editor of National Concord, and in 1986, was appointed Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, making her one of the most powerful women in Nigerian media at the time.

As editor and later Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Abiola led the National Concord newspaper to become one of Nigeria’s most influential media platforms.