A Legend Is Gone: Ex-MD Of Concord Newspapers And Wife Of Late MKO Abiola, Dr. Doyin Abiola, Passes At 82

Eminent journalist Dr. Doyin Abiola, wife of Concord Publisher and winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Late Chief MKO Abiola, has passed away. Sources confirmed that she died at exactly 9:15 pm yesterday after a brief illness.

Dr. Doyin Abiola, the former Managing Director and Publisher of National Concord, was the first Nigerian woman to become the editor of a Nigerian daily newspaper. Like many of Chief Abiola’s wives, she endured the trials and tribulations that followed the annulment of the historic 1993 election, both at home and within the Concord.

Educated at the University of Ibadan, Dr. Doyin Abiola earned a degree in English and Drama in 1969. She began her career at the Daily Sketch Newspaper, where she wrote a column titled “Tiro”, addressing issues of public concern, including gender matters.

In 1970, she traveled to the United States to pursue a master’s degree in Journalism. Upon her return, she joined Daily Times as a Features Writer, rising to the position of Group Features Editor. She later obtained a Ph.D. in Communications and Political Science from New York University in 1979.

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After her doctoral studies, she returned to the Daily Times to work on the editorial board alongside seasoned editors such as Stanley Macebuh, Dele Giwa, and Amma Ogan. She was soon invited to be the pioneer daily editor of the newly formed National Concord, eventually rising to Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief in 1986—making her the first Nigerian woman to hold such a position at a daily newspaper.

She married Chief MKO Abiola in 1981, and her career at National Concord spanned three decades. She also contributed significantly to Nigeria’s media landscape, serving as Chairperson of the Awards Nominating Panel at the first Nigerian Media Merit Awards and as a member of the Advisory Council, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Ogun State University.

Her numerous accolades include the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) Lifetime Achievement Award, making her the second woman to receive the honor after Mrs. Omobola Onajide. She was also an Eisenhower Fellow in 1986, recognized for her lifelong dedication to advancing media and strengthening democracy in Nigeria.

Dr. Doyin Abiola’s passing marks the end of a remarkable chapter in Nigerian journalism—a life dedicated to excellence, courage, and the pursuit of truth.