President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has mourned the passing of Dr Doyinsola Hamidat Abiola, describing the trailblazing journalist and former Managing Director of the defunct Concord Group as “an Amazon, media icon, and a soldier of democracy.”
In a personal tribute released on Wednesday, President Tinubu said he received news of Dr Abiola’s death “with deep sadness,” recalling her pioneering role in Nigerian journalism and her unwavering commitment to democratic ideals.
“Doyin Abiola, 82, was an Amazon and an icon in Nigerian journalism,” the President said. “She stayed in the journalism course since starting as a reporter with the defunct Daily Sketch after graduating from the University of Ibadan in 1969, majoring in English and Drama.”
Dr Abiola broke several glass ceilings in her lifetime, becoming the first Nigerian woman to edit a national newspaper and later the first woman to serve as Managing Director of a daily newspaper. Her contributions, President Tinubu said, laid the foundation for generations of women in journalism and beyond.
“In 1980, she emerged as the pioneer Editor of National Concord, owned by the late MKO Abiola. She later became Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of all Concord titles, including founding Weekend Concord, which set new standards for making people the focus of reporting.”
President Tinubu, who had a long-standing relationship with the Abiola family, said Dr Abiola’s involvement in politics deepened during her husband’s historic 1993 presidential campaign.
“She played a prominent role in MKO’s election, mobilising and providing direction for the media under her control,” he said.
When the June 12 election — widely believed to have been won by MKO Abiola — was annulled by the military regime, Dr Abiola stood firm. Despite the Concord Group being shut down, she continued the fight for justice and electoral validation.
“She was a soldier of democracy in her own right,” the President affirmed. “Nigerians will never forget her leadership during her illustrious journalism career, her championing of women’s empowerment, and her commitment to democracy.”
President Tinubu extended his condolences to the Abiola and Aboaba families, Dr Abiola’s only daughter Doyinsola, and the governments and people of Lagos and Ogun States.
“May her soul rest in peace. May this nation be blessed with more women of Doyin Abiola’s calibre and pedigree,” he concluded.
