Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is mourning Doyin Abiola, former managing director and publisher of National Concord newspapers and wife of the late winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, MKO Abiola.
Dr Abiola died on Tuesday at the age of 82.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by Sanwo-Olu’s special adviser on media and publicity, Gboyega Akosile, the governor described the deceased as an amazon in the media industry.
He said: “On behalf of my family, the people and government of Lagos State, I sympathise with the Abiola family over the death of an accomplished journalist and media manager, Dr. Doyin Abiola. I also commiserate with the deceased friends, colleagues, and journalists in Nigeria.
“Dr. Doyin Abiola etched her name in gold in the media industry as the first Nigerian woman to be an editor and managing editor of a national daily. She was a role model to many journalists in Nigeria, having nurtured and given opportunities to many media practitioners who have become leading voices in the journalism profession and leaders in different sectors.
“Dr. Doyin Abiola made lots of positive impacts during her lifetime, contributing meaningfully to the growth and development of journalism in Nigeria. She was a supportive wife to late Chief MKO Abiola and also contributed positively to nation building, especially on gender-related issues.
“I pray that God will grant the soul of our beloved Dr. Doyin Abiola eternal rest and comfort the immediate family, friends and colleagues of the deceased with the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.”
Dr Abiola made history as the first Nigerian woman to become editor and managing director of a national newspaper.
She began her journalism career at Daily Sketch in the 1960s and later moved to Daily Times, where she rose to become group features editor.
She was a founding staff member of National Concord, where she served as pioneer editor and later managing director.
In 1986, she became one of the first Nigerians selected for the Eisenhower Fellowship and was later honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME).
Dr Abiola married MKO Abiola in 1981 and stood by him during the struggle for the validation of his June 12 mandate. Following his arrest by the military, she became one of the public voices demanding his release and return to democracy.
President Bola Tinubu has also paid tribute to the veteran journalist, describing her as a “media trailblazer” and “soldier of democracy.”
