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Media icon, MKO’s wife, Doyin Abiola dies at 82

Published

4 weeks ago

August 6, 2025

Trailblazing journalist, former Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of National Concord, and one of Nigeria’s most influential media figures, Dr. Doyin Abiola, has died at the age of 82.

She was one of the wives of the late winner of the June 12 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola.

One of the sons of the late MKO Abiola, Jamiu, confirmed her death on Wednesday.

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

Widely celebrated as the first Nigerian woman to become editor-in-chief of a national daily newspaper, Dr. Abiola spent over three decades in the media industry, breaking barriers and shaping public discourse through journalism.

Born in 1943, she earned a degree in English and Drama from the University of Ibadan in 1969 and began her career at Daily Sketch, where she wrote a widely read column, Tiro, focusing on public and gender issues.

In 1970, she travelled to the United States for postgraduate studies, and later obtained a PhD in Communications and Political Science from New York University in 1979.

On her return to Nigeria, she joined Daily Times as a Features Writer and rose to the position of Group Features Editor.

She was later appointed to the paper’s editorial board, working alongside the likes of Stanley Macebuh, Dele Giwa, and Amma Ogan.

Doyin went on to become the pioneer daily editor of National Concord, and in 1986, was appointed Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, making her one of the most powerful women in Nigerian media at the time.

As editor and later Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Abiola led the National Concord newspaper to become one of Nigeria’s most influential media platforms.

Under her leadership, the Concord Group expanded to publish as many as 14 newspapers and magazines.

Doyin once turned down an offer to become “Woman Editor” at Daily Times, a role she felt underestimated her capabilities.

She insisted on being judged by merit rather than gender, eventually joining as a Features Writer and rising to the role of Group Features Editor.

During General Sani Abacha’s regime, soldiers invaded the Concord premises and destroyed printing presses. The newspaper was proscribed for 18 months.

She later recalled in a 2001 interview that despite the pressure, she remained committed to truth and justice in journalism.

Beyond her newsroom accomplishments, she served the industry in various capacities.

She chaired the Awards Nominating Panel of the maiden Nigerian Media Merit Award and sat on the Advisory Council of the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences at Ogun State University.

In 1986, she was named an Eisenhower Fellow.

Years later, she received the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contribution to journalism and democracy in Nigeria, becoming only the second woman to receive the honour.

She also served as Chairperson of the CNN African Journalist of the Year Awards.

She was married to the late Chief MKO Abiola, the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, and stood by him during the years of political turmoil that followed.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by the family.

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News

Reverse Nigeria Passport Fees Hike Or Face Legal Action – SERAP Warns Tinubu Govt

Published

11 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Federal Government to urgently reverse the new passport fees announced by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), describing the hike as arbitrary, unlawful, and discriminatory against poor Nigerians.
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It was reports that the NIS had last week disclosed that, effective September 1, 2025, passport applications within Nigeria would cost ₦100,000 for the 32-page, five-year validity and ₦200,000 for the 64-page, 10-year validity.

The new increase comes less than a year after a similar upward review in September 2024, sparking outrage among citizens.

‘Millions of Nigerians Cannot Afford It’ – SERAP

However, in a letter dated August 30, 2025, signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP stated that the decision would amount to an outright denial of access to passports for millions of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians.

“Millions of disadvantaged Nigerians cannot realistically afford to pay the increased fees. These Nigerians should not be forced to spend their limited and grossly inadequate income to pay the increased fees instead of spending it on their basic living needs,” SERAP stated.

The organisation accused the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, of failing to balance revenue generation with citizens’ rights.

“The Minister of Interior and the Comptroller-General of the NIS acted unlawfully when they arbitrarily increased the passport fees. The unreasonable and disproportionate increase is incompatible with the provisions of Chapters 2 and 4 of the Nigerian Constitution covering fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy and fundamental rights,” the statement read.

Risk of Denying Citizens Their Rights

SERAP warned that Nigerians unable to afford the new fees would be denied the enjoyment of constitutional rights and protections guaranteed under international human rights treaties.

“Nigerians who cannot afford to pay the excessive fees would be denied the effective enjoyment of their citizenship rights conferred by the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and human rights treaties to which the country is a state party,” the group said.

The organisation further cautioned that implementing such increases during a period of economic hardship would worsen the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.

“The unlawful increase in passport fees at a time the country is facing economic and financial crises would contribute further to the impoverishment of the population,” SERAP stressed.

It therefore gave the Federal Government seven days to reverse the decision or face legal action.

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News

US Embassy Closes Abuja, Lagos Offices

Published

11 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

The United States Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will not open for regular activities on Monday, September 1, 2025, due to the observance of Labour Day in the US.

It was reports that the public holiday, which is marked every first Monday in September, is dedicated to honouring the role of American workers and has been celebrated since the late 19th century.

During the closure, Nigerians in need of urgent help from the mission will still have access to emergency contacts.

However, routine services such as visa applications and other consular matters will continue after the holiday.

The embassy in a tweet on Sunday advised those seeking appointments to plan their visits around the temporary closure.

The post read, “The U.S. Embassy in Abuja and Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2025, in observance of the U.S. Labor Day.”

In other news, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 75-year-old grandpa, Uchelue Ikechukwu, alongside five suspects arrested with illicit substances in raids in parts of Anambra State.

Naija News reports that 30-year-old Alfa Andrew was also taken into custody following the destruction of 178, 750 kilograms of skunk on his 71.5 hectares of cannabis farm in Mayodoga forest, Sardauna local council area of Taraba state.

This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by the NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

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News

Ex-Police IG, Solomon Arase, dies in Abuja hospital

Published

13 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Nigeria’s former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and ex-Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Solomon Ehigiator Arase, has passed away. He died at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja.

Solomon Arase, who served as the country’s 18th IGP, was widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most reform-driven police chiefs.

Before his appointment as IGP, he headed the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the police’s foremost intelligence unit.

Born on June 21, 1956, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Arase earned a degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University in 1980 before joining the Nigeria Police Force in December 1981.

He later obtained a Law degree from the University of Benin and a Master’s degree from the University of Lagos.

Throughout his career, Arase served in several strategic capacities, including Principal Staff Officer to former IGPs, Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, and Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of intelligence.

He also represented Nigeria in Namibia under a United Nations peacekeeping mission and was a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Solomon Arase retired from the police on June 21, 2016, upon reaching the statutory retirement age.

In January 2023, he was appointed Chairman of the Police Service Commission by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, a role he held until June 2024.

He was celebrated for his commitment to police welfare and his reform-focused leadership.

His tenure introduced key initiatives such as the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), the Complaint Response Unit (CRU) to address police misconduct, and the Safer Highway Patrols, which improved safety for travelers across the country.

Even after retirement, Arase remained engaged in national security discourse, particularly in strengthening election security and promoting police neutrality during polls.

As of the time of filing this report, neither his family nor the Nigeria Police Force has issued an official statement confirming the development.

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