Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (often referred to as M. K. O. Abiola) (August 24, 1937, Abeokuta - July 7, 1998, Abuja), was a Nigerian Yoruba businessman, publisher and politician though, he was an accountant by training. His early career was with ITT, whereby he later rose to the position of vice-president, Africa and Middle-east. He is believed by many, to have won Nigeria's freest and fairest (presidential) election ever held - June 12, 1993. However, he was denied the opportunity to become President when the election results were annulled by a court during the regime of Ibrahim Babangida, the then Military dictator of Nigeria; who was seen as having a direct influence on the court judgment.

In the presidential elections of June 12, 1993, Abiola was the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (his running mate was Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe) and overwhelmingly defeated his northern (Hausa) rival, Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention. However, the election was annulled by Ibrahim Babangida, and subsequent events led to General Sani Abacha seizing power later that year.

Abiola died in captivity of a heart attack on July 7, 1998. Some of his supporters claim that his death – immediately following that of his captor, Sani Abacha – was masterminded by western powers through the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) to level the political playing field in Nigeria. He had many children and there has been a lot of crisis within the family about who/how are entitled to his enormous wealth.Some of the claimed children are all over the western world like USA,England,some part of Europe etc.

Moshood Kashimawo Abiola is an icon of democracy in Nigeria. He was the first Southerner to cross the political bridge by aligning otherwise opposing political forces from the North and South to form a political coalition in 1993's election. Many Southerners had earlier attempted this but not with much success.

MKO Abiola was also a philanthropist and he was a major sports sponsor which culminated in him being popularly called "Africa's Pillar of Sports".