MKO’s Wife, Doyin Abiola, Dies at 82

Renowned journalist and former Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of National Concord, Dr. Doyin Abiola, one of Nigeria’s most influential media figures and a wife of the late June 12 presidential election winner, Chief MKO Abiola, has passed away at 82.

Her death was confirmed to PUNCH Online on Wednesday by Jamiu, one of MKO Abiola’s sons.

“Yes, she passed away last night,” he said in a telephone interview.

A trailblazer in Nigerian journalism, Dr. Abiola made history as the first woman to serve as editor-in-chief of a national daily newspaper. Over her three-decade career, she shattered glass ceilings and shaped public discourse through her work.

Born in 1943, she graduated from the University of Ibadan in 1969 with a degree in English and Drama, beginning her journalism career at Daily Sketch, where she wrote the popular column “Tiro,” addressing public and gender issues.

She pursued postgraduate studies in the U.S., earning a PhD in Communications and Political Science from New York University in 1979. Returning to Nigeria, she joined Daily Times as a Features Writer, later rising to Group Features Editor and serving on the editorial board alongside legends like Stanley Macebuh, Dele Giwa, and Amma Ogan.

Dr. Abiola became the pioneer daily editor of National Concord and, in 1986, was appointed Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief—solidifying her position as one of Nigeria’s most powerful media executives. Under her leadership, the Concord Group expanded to publish 14 newspapers and magazines.

She once rejected an offer to become Daily Times’ “Woman Editor,” insisting on being evaluated by merit rather than gender.

During General Sani Abacha’s regime, soldiers raided Concord’s offices, destroying printing presses and proscribing the paper for 18 months. Reflecting on the ordeal in a 2001 interview, she remained proud of her commitment to truthful journalism.

Beyond the newsroom, she served in key industry roles, including chairing the Nigerian Media Merit Award’s inaugural nominating panel and sitting on Ogun State University’s Advisory Council for Social and Management Sciences.

Honored as an Eisenhower Fellow in 1986, she later received the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to journalism and democracy—only the second woman to earn the distinction. She also chaired the CNN African Journalist of the Year Awards.

Married to Chief MKO Abiola, she stood by him during the political crisis following the annulment of his 1993 election victory.

Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family.