President Bola Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to veteran journalist and former Managing Director of the defunct Concord Group, Dr. Doyinsola Hamidat Abiola, who died on Wednesday at the age of 82.
In a statement made available to The News Chronicle on Wednesday, Tinubu described her as a “media trailblazer and soldier of democracy,” adding that the late Doyin Abiola broke barriers in Nigerian journalism and played a pivotal role in the fight to uphold the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
“She was an Amazon, an icon who charted new paths for women in media,” the President said in a statement. “Her legacy of integrity, tenacity and commitment to democratic ideals will never be forgotten.”
Abiola, wife of the late MKO Abiola, began her career at the Daily Sketch after graduating from the University of Ibadan in 1969. She later became the first woman to edit a national newspaper and the first female managing director of a major Nigerian daily.
In 1980, she was appointed pioneer editor of National Concord, eventually rising to oversee all Concord titles, including the Weekend Concord, which revolutionized people-centered journalism in Nigeria.
Tinubu recalled his personal ties with the Abiola family, noting Doyin’s critical role in MKO Abiola’s 1993 presidential campaign and her brave stance following the annulment of the election.
“When the military shut down the Concord Group, she stood firm, demanding justice.
She was not just MKO’s wife, she was a fighter for democracy in her own right,” he said.
The President extended condolences to the Abiola and Aboaba families, her daughter Doyinsola, and the governments and people of Lagos and Ogun States.
“May her soul rest in peace. And may Nigeria be blessed with more women of her calibre and courage,” he added.
