By Correspondent.
Late Dr Doyin Abiola.
(C) The Niche.
Dr. Doyin Abiola, Nigeria’s first female editor of a national daily newspaper and a towering figure in the country’s media landscape, has died. She was 82.
She passed away at exactly 9:15 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, after a period of illness, according to family sources.
Dr. Abiola, former Managing Director and Publisher of National Concord, was a pioneering journalist who shattered glass ceilings and set the pace for women in media. She was also the wife of the late Chief MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Like many wives of the late politician and philanthropist, Dr. Abiola weathered the storm and stress that followed the infamous annulment of the June 12 election, a development that brought tribulations not only to the nation but also to her family and the Concord Group of newspapers.
Born in Nigeria, she graduated from the University of Ibadan in 1969 with a degree in English and Drama. Shortly after, she began her journalism career with the Daily Sketch, where she also penned a popular column titled Tiro, which focused on public affairs and gender issues.
In 1970, she travelled to the United States to pursue a master’s degree in journalism. On her return to Nigeria, she joined Daily Times as a Features Writer and rose to become the Group Features Editor.
Ever driven by the quest for knowledge, Dr. Abiola earned her Ph.D. in Communications and Political Science from New York University in 1979. Upon her return, she was appointed to the editorial board of Daily Times, where she worked alongside prominent editors like Stanley Macebuh, Dele Giwa, and Amma Ogan.
Her brilliance caught the attention of the newly established National Concord, which invited her to become its pioneer daily editor.
In 1986, she was promoted to the position of Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, becoming the first Nigerian woman to hold such a position in a daily newspaper.
Dr. Abiola’s journalism career at National Concord spanned three decades, during which she contributed immensely to the growth of the media industry in Nigeria. Beyond her newsroom duties, she played significant roles in media development and education.
She was the chairperson of the Awards Nominating Panel for the inaugural Nigerian Media Merit Awards (NMMA) and served on the Advisory Council of the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences at Ogun State University.
In recognition of her lifelong contribution to journalism and democracy, Dr. Abiola received the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) Lifetime Achievement Award — becoming only the second woman to receive the honour after Mrs. Omobola Onajide.
She was also a recipient of the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship in 1986.
Dr. Doyin Abiola married Chief MKO Abiola in 1981. Her life and legacy remain a powerful testimony to the role of courage, intellect, and integrity in journalism and public service.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
