LAGOS — Nigeria has lost one of its most iconic media pioneers, Dr. Doyin Abiola, the former Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of National Concord, who passed away peacefully at 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday after a brief illness. She was 82.
Dr. Abiola, the wife of late business mogul and democracy icon Chief MKO Abiola, was a towering figure in Nigerian journalism and the first Nigerian woman to rise to the dual position of editor and managing director of a national daily newspaper.
Her groundbreaking contributions to the media landscape not only opened doors for generations of women journalists but also helped shape the course of editorial journalism in Nigeria.
Born in 1943, Doyin Abiola studied English and Drama at the University of Ibadan, graduating in 1969. She began her journalism career at the Daily Sketch, where her widely read column Tiro boldly addressed social and political issues, particularly those affecting women.
In 1970, she left Nigeria to further her studies, earning a Master’s degree in Journalism in the United States. Upon returning, she joined the Daily Times as a Features Writer and quickly rose to become Group Features Editor.
Never one to rest on her laurels, she returned to the U.S. to earn a Ph.D. in Communications and Political Science from New York University in 1979 — a rare feat at the time.
In 1980, her career reached a defining moment when she was appointed the founding editor of National Concord, established by Chief MKO Abiola. Six years later, she made history again as the newspaper’s first female Managing Director.
She married MKO Abiola in 1981, and through his political rise and tragic fall — including his incarceration and death following the annulled June 12, 1993 election — Dr. Abiola remained a steady pillar of strength, admired for her resilience and quiet dignity.
Outside the newsroom, she was deeply involved in media development and journalism education in Nigeria. She chaired the nomination panel for the Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA) and served on the advisory council of the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences at Ogun State University.
Her lifelong commitment to the craft earned her numerous accolades, including the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship in 1986 and the DAME Lifetime Achievement Award — becoming only the second woman to be so honored after Mrs. Omobola Onajide.
Dr. Abiola’s death marks the end of an era. She leaves behind a towering legacy of excellence, integrity, and groundbreaking leadership in Nigerian media.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by the family in the coming days.
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