Dr. Doyin Abiola, the wife of the late Chief MKO Abiola and a trailblazer in Nigerian journalism, has passed away. She died on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, around 9:15 p.m., after a brief illness. She was 82 years old.

The sad news has been confirmed by family sources, including her son, Jamiu Abiola, and acknowledged by national media associations and leaders.

Dr. Abiola was a woman of many firsts. She made history as the first female editor of a national newspaper in Nigeria, later becoming the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of the National Concord Newspaper, founded by her husband. Her contributions to media and public discourse in Nigeria earned her widespread respect both at home and abroad.

MKO Abiola's wife, Doyin dies at 82 | midwestherald

Born in 1943, Dr. Abiola earned a Ph.D. in Communications and was known for her brilliance, courage, and deep sense of commitment to ethical journalism. Throughout her career, she championed press freedom, women’s rights, and national development.

The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), among other media bodies, has expressed deep sorrow over her death, describing her as a "pillar of journalism" and a “symbol of integrity and excellence.”

Her passing comes 27 years after the death of her husband, Chief MKO Abiola, the widely acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.

MKO's Widow, Doyin Abiola, First Woman MD of National Newspaper in Nigeria, Dies At 82 - The Gazelle News

She is survived by her children and grandchildren, as well as a legacy that will continue to inspire generations of Nigerian journalists and women leaders.

Details of her burial arrangements are expected to be announced by the family in the coming days.

🕊 May her soul rest in perfect peace

Doyin Abiola, Wife of Late MKO Abiola, Dies at 82

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