Dr. Doyin Abiola, widow of the late Chief MKO Abiola, has passed away at the age of 82. Family sources confirmed that she died at 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday after a period of illness.
Mrs. Abiola made history as a pioneering figure in Nigerian journalism, widely admired for her professionalism, integrity, and contribution to the growth of the press. She made history as the first Nigerian woman to serve as editor and later as managing director/editor-in-chief of a national daily newspaper, National Concord.
Born in 1943, she studied English and Drama at the University of Ibadan and graduated in 1969. She began her career at Daily Sketch, where she wrote a regular column called Tiro, focusing on social issues, public accountability, and women’s rights.
In 1970, she travelled to the United States to further her studies, earning a Master’s degree in Journalism. She returned to Nigeria to join the Daily Times as a features writer and later became Group Features Editor. She later earned a Ph.D. in Communications and Political Science from New York University in 1979.
Her return marked a new phase in her career. She was appointed to the editorial board of Daily Times, working alongside some of the era’s most respected journalists including Stanley Macebuh, Dele Giwa, and Amma Ogan.
In 1980, she took up the role of pioneer editor of National Concord, a paper newly launched by business mogul Chief MKO Abiola, whom she would later marry in 1981.
Outside the newsroom, she remained a steadfast supporter of her husband, Chief MKO Abiola, especially during the tense years following the annulment of the 1993 presidential election.
By 1986, she became Managing Director of Concord Press, where she helped lead its editorial direction and growth.
Dr. Abiola chaired the nomination panel of the Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA) and contributed to academia as a member of the advisory council for the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences at Ogun State University.
In recognition of her influence and contributions, she was awarded the Eisenhower Fellowship in 1986. Years later, she received the Diamond Award for Media Excellence (DAME) Lifetime Achievement Award. This made her the second woman, after Omobola Onajide, to receive the honour.
