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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. 

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