Minister of solid minerals development, Dele Alake, has paid tribute to the late Doyin Abiola, former managing director of Concord Press, describing her as a media trailblazer who left an indelible mark on Nigerian journalism.
In a statement titled “Ode to the Heroine of the Press”, Mr Alake hailed Dr Abiola’s contributions to the growth of the media, especially during her time at Concord Press, where she worked alongside her late husband, Moshood Abiola.
“Dr Doyin Abiola, gentle and genial, soft yet solid, inhaled and exhaled journalism,” he wrote.
Alake, who once served as editor of Sunday Concord and National Concord, noted that the media icon came from the Aboaba family, known for professionalism and class.
“She climbed to the pinnacle of scholarship,” he said, recounting her academic journey from a bachelor’s in English and Drama at the University of Ibadan, to a master’s and PhD from New York University.
Dr Abiola began her journalism career at Daily Sketch in 1969, moved to the Daily Times and later joined Concord Press, where she helped birth a newspaper with a distinct voice in Nigerian journalism.
“She was, indeed, a newsman… trained for the job with an incredible passion for investigation and staying power for following up till the end of each episode,” Alake stated.
He highlighted her managerial strength and praised her for complementing her husband’s vision with bold innovations like converting Concord’s archives from print to microfilm.
Alake also spoke on her resilience during Concord’s many battles with military authorities, including invasions, shutdowns and the eventual detention and death of Abiola.
“Only a woman of quintessential professional standards and stoic sacrifice could have survived the regular onslaught of military invasion… and ultimately, the detention and death of the publisher,” he said.
The minister described her death as a personal loss, writing: “She was the auntie who held my hand and led me up the corporate steps of Africa’s foremost media establishment… the leader who spotted bright minds and nurtured talents that could have been spent halfway.”
“As you prepare to meet your Maker, Auntie D, the world is aware that you left a void that will be difficult to fill,” he concluded.
Dr Doyin Abiola died on Tuesday night. She was Nigeria’s first female newspaper editor and the first female managing director of a major newspaper group.
