Moshood Abiola
Nigerian businessman and politician (1937–1998) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola GCFR, also known as M. K. O. Abiola (// ⓘ; 24 August 1937 – 7 July 1998) was a Nigerian businessman, publisher, and politician. He was the honorary supreme military commander of the Oyo Empire[lower-alpha 1] and an aristocrat of the Egba clan.[5][6]
Moshood Abiola | |
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Personal details | |
Born | (1937-08-24)24 August 1937 Abeokuta, Southern Region, British Nigeria (now in Ogun State, Nigeria) |
Died | 7 July 1998(1998-07-07) (aged 60) Abuja, Nigeria |
Spouses | Simbiat Shoaga
(m. 1960; died 1992)Adebisi Oshin (m. 1974)Doyinsola Aboaba (m. 1981)
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Occupation |
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Abiola ran for the presidency in 1993, for which the election results were annulled by then military president Ibrahim Babangida because of allegations that they were corrupt and unfair.[7] Abiola was awarded the National honour Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR), an honour awarded to only Nigerian heads of state, posthumously on 6 June 2018, by President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigeria's democracy day was changed to from 29 May to 12 June in his honour.[8][9][10]
Abiola was a personal friend of Ibrahim Babangida[11] and he is believed to have supported Babangida's coming to power.[12]
Abiola's support in the June 1993 presidential election cut across all geo-political zones and religious divisions, among a few politicians to accomplish such a spread during his time.[13] By the time of his death, he had become an unexpected symbol of democracy.[14]