President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to Dr. Doyinsola Hamidat Abiola, describing her as a pioneer in Nigerian journalism and a fearless advocate of democracy. The former Managing Director of the defunct Concord Group of newspapers passed away on Wednesday, August 6, at the age of 82.
In a statement issued from the State House, President Tinubu mourned the loss of a woman he described as an “Amazon and an icon in Nigerian journalism,” recalling her early days as a reporter with the Daily Sketch after graduating from the University of Ibadan in 1969.
Dr. Abiola made history as the first woman to edit a national newspaper and later as the first female Managing Director of a daily publication in Nigeria. She rose to prominence in 1980 as the pioneer editor of National Concord and would go on to oversee all Concord titles as managing director and editor-in-chief.
President Tinubu highlighted her pivotal role in shaping public discourse and setting new standards in journalism, particularly through the launch of Weekend Concord, which placed human-interest storytelling at the forefront of news reporting.
Beyond journalism, Tinubu acknowledged her vital contributions to Nigeria’s democratic struggle, especially during the annulled 1993 presidential election won by her husband, the late Bashorun MKO Abiola. Despite the military junta’s clampdown on the Concord titles, Dr. Abiola stood firm, lending her voice to the calls for the validation of the historic June 12 mandate.
“She was a soldier of democracy in her own right,” the President noted. “Her immense contributions to journalism and gender equity laid a foundation for generations of women. Her impact on our democracy was even more profound.”
Tinubu expressed his condolences to the Abiola and Aboaba families, Dr. Abiola’s daughter, Doyinsola, and the governments 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.
Melissa Enoch
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