President Bola Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to the late Dr. Doyinsola Hamidat Abiola, describing her as a media trailblazer and a soldier of democracy whose contributions to journalism and national development were both profound and enduring.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, President Tinubu expressed deep sadness over the passing of Dr. Abiola, aged 82, a pioneering journalist, former Editor and Managing Director of the defunct Concord Group of Newspapers, and wife of the late business mogul and politician, Bashorun MKO Abiola.

“Dr. Doyin Abiola was an Amazon, a towering figure in Nigerian journalism,” the President said. “She carved a distinct path in the media landscape, beginning her career as a reporter with the Daily Sketch after graduating from the University of Ibadan in 1969 with a degree in English and Drama.”

According to the President, Dr. Abiola shattered gender barriers by becoming the first woman to edit a national newspaper and later the first female Managing Director of a daily publication in Nigeria.
“Her immense contributions to journalism and gender equity laid a solid foundation for generations of women who followed in her footsteps,” Tinubu stated. “But beyond the newsroom, her impact on our democracy was even more profound.”

In 1980, Dr. Abiola became the pioneer Editor of National Concord, a publication founded by her late husband.
She later rose to serve as Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of all Concord titles, including launching the Weekend Concord, which revolutionised human-interest journalism in Nigeria.

President Tinubu recalled his close relationship with the Abiola family and praised Dr. Abiola’s political engagement during the turbulent years that followed the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history and won by MKO Abiola.

“As MKO’s wife, Doyin was deeply involved in the political process. She played a pivotal role in his campaign, galvanising the media and offering strategic leadership,” the President noted.

“When the military annulled the election, she stood firmly for justice. Even after the Concord Group was shut down, she remained unwavering in her defense of democracy. She was a soldier of democracy in every sense.”

Tinubu said Nigeria would never forget Dr. Abiola’s legacy, her leadership in the media, her advocacy for women’s empowerment, and her steadfast commitment to democratic ideals.

He extended his 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 perfect peace,” President Tinubu prayed. “And may our nation be blessed with more women of Dr. Doyin Abiola’s calibre, courage, and pedigree.”