Skip to main content

Doyin Abiola: Renowned Media Icon

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
   Doyin Abiola 

Mrs Doyin Abiola is a renowned journalist and wife of late Chief MKO Abiola, winner of June 12, 1993 annulled presidential election. 

She was born on February 1, 1943 and died on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at the age of 82. 

In 1969, Abiola graduated with a degree in English and Drama from the University of Ibadan. 

She commenced her journalism career with the defunct Daily Sketch newspaper in 1969. There, she handled a column titled: 'Tiro', targetted at resolving social and gender-related issues.

However, she exited Daily Sketch newspaper in 1970 for a master’s degree in Journalism in the United States.

When she returned to Nigeria, she was offered the position of Woman Editor at Daily Times, which she declined but settled as Features Writer. Abiola was thereafter promoted as the Group Features Editor.

Still desirous for more academic pursuit, Abiola enrolled at a New York University in 1979 and obtained a PhD in Communications and Political Science. 

Shortly after her PhD certification, the media icon returned to Daily Times newspaper and joined the editorial board, working alongside prominent editors like Stanley Macebuh, Dele Giwa, and Amma Ogan.

Abiola was later employed at the defunct National Concord as the pioneer Daily Editor. Given her workaholic nature, she was promoted to the position of a Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of National Concord in 1986. Then, she became the first Nigerian woman to occupy such position in a daily newspaper.

Interestingly, in her three decades of career in journalism, spanning over 30 years, Abiola held several key positions and influenced policy and media development.

In 1981, she married late Chief MKO Abiola, who was the founder of National Concord and a prominent politician.

She served on the Advisory Council for the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences at Ogun State University, and was the Chairperson of Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) nomination panel. 

Abiola received the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to media and democracy.

Aside this, she was the second woman to receive the DAME Lifetime Achievement Award after Mrs. Omobola Onajide.

In 1986, Abiola was selected for the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship. She became the first Nigerian woman to emerge as the prestigious fellow. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

EHCON Moves To Rebrand Environmental Health Sector Using Artificial Intelligence

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja   Dr Yakubu Baba The Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) has taken cogent steps to rebrand the environmental health sector using artificial intelligence.  Already, plans are underway to extend the initiative across the six geopolitical zones, as no community would be sidelined.  The Registrar of EHCON, Dr Yakubu Baba stated this in Abuja at a 3-day workshop organised by EHCON in collaboration with Afri-Tourism Investment Limited and West Africa Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA) with the theme: "AI-Driven Operations and Predictive Analysis." The essence of the workshop is to improve environmental health practice and prevent emerging diseases using artificial intelligent.   It is expected to empower Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) with the necessary digital skills needed to deepen environmental health practice and provide workable  solutions to problems.  Baba noted that integrating AI into environmental he...
Post a Comment
Read more

EHCON Unveils Technology To Phase-out Emissions, Protect Public Health

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) has unveiled a technology meant to phase-out Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and protect public health from emerging diseases, in line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.  Tagged Oxytane Fuel Additive, it is designed to enhance engine performance, increase fuel efficiency by over 25 percent, and reduce harmful emissions by up to 70 percent. It has been tested on high-capacity generators, including at the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation. Oxytane works by cleaning fuel injectors, removing carbon deposits, and improving combustion in petrol, diesel, and kerosene engines. It is used for personal vehicles, generators, and industrial equipment.  Unveiled by EHCON in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Environment and Oxytane Africa Investment Limited, the initiative will strengthen environmental governance and control Nigeria's carbon footprints.  These formed the c...
6 comments
Read more

EHCON Bolsters NDCs With National Response Initiative On Greenhouse Gas Emissions

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) has strengthened Nigeria's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with the unveiling of national response initiative, meant to cripple diseases traceable to Greenhouse Gas (GhG) emissions nationwide.  This formed the crux of discuss on Monday at the National Stakeholders’ Engagement on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and the Declaration of a Public Health Emergency on Environmental-Related Diseases.  The National Emergency Response Initiative on Environmental Public Health Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (NERI-EPHIGGE) was designed to strengthen Environmental Health Service (EHS) delivery, promote climate responsive public health interventions and enhance the professional capacity of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) across the country to mitigate GhG emissions.  Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) Dr Yakubu Baba said that the i...
Post a Comment
Read more