By Norega Menye

Wife of late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, the winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election and publisher of defunct Concord Newspaper, Dr. Doyin Abiola, is dead.

According to reports obtained by Uyo Infomedia, she died around 9.15 pm yesterday.

The deceased, a seasoned journalist, was among the wives of late Abiola who alongside other family members and other Nigerians weathered the storm and various consequences of the annulment of the historic 2993 poll.

Late Doyin Abiola was educated at the University of Ibadan, where she earned a degree in English and Drama in 1969.

The late veteran journalist started work with the Daily Sketch Newspaper after her graduation writing a column called ‘Tiro,’ which discussed sundry issues of public concern, including gender matters and ways to address them.

She however left Daily Sketch Newspaper in 1970 to the United States to pursue a master’s degree programme in Journalism.

After her return to Nigeria, she was employed as features writer at Daily Times, where she rose to become the Group Features Editor.

Doyin later went to New York University and bagged Ph. D in Communications and Political Science in 1979, and later returned to Daily Times and was deployed to the Editorial Board where she worked with other editors including Stanley Macebuh, Dele Giwa and Amma Ogan.

However, her stay was short as she was invited to the newly formed National Concord newspaper to be the pioneer daily editor and was later promoted to the position of Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief in 1986.

The Nonagenarian,
was the first Nigerian woman Editor – in – Chief of a daily newspaper in Nigeria, as her career in National Concord Newspaper spanned three decades. She also served in various capacities in the media industry in the country.

Late Dr. Abiola was the Chair-person of the Awards Nominating panel at the first Nigerian Media Merit Award to be hosted in the country, and also a member of Advisory Council, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Ogun State University.

She was a recipient of Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) for her lifelong devotion to advancing the frontiers of knowledge and strengthening the media as a pillar of democracy.

The Trustees of DAME unanimously approved her selection as a recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award at the 24th DAME Ceremony.

She was the second woman to receive a DAME Lifetime Achievement Award after Mrs. Omobola Onajide and was later granted Eisenhower Fellowship in 1986.