Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola
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Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (often referred to as M. K. O. Abiola, August 24, 1937 - July 7, 1998) was a Nigerian Yoruba businessman, publisher and politician, though he was an accountant by training. He ran for the presidency in 1993, and won, but was denied the opportunity to become President when the election results were annulled by a court during the regime of Ibrahim Babangida.
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[edit] Early life and career
Abiola was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State.[1] His name, Kashimawo, means "Lets wait and see".[2] His early career was with the ITT Corporation, where he later rose to the position of Vice President, Africa and Middle-East. Abiola built a vast business empire consisting of an airline, publishing company, farms, shipping line, bookshops, oil company, bank, to name a few. Abiola, along with ex-military leader Olusegun Obasanjo, was "name-dropped" at the end of musician Fela Kuti's 25-minute political screed "International Thief Thief", which led to Fela's arrest in 1983 on faked currency charges. There is no evidence to suggest that Moshood Abiola had anything to do with Fela's arrest.
[edit] Presidential elections
In the presidential elections of June 12, 1993, Abiola was the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (his running mate was Baba Gana Kingibe) and overwhelmingly defeated his northern 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.
When Abiola declared himself the lawful president of Nigeria, he was accused of treason and imprisoned. He is widely believed to have won what was considered to have been Nigeria's freest and fairest presidential election. He has been referred to as Nigeria's greatest statesman[3], but in a country with a history of political corruption, it is impossible to say how far Moshood Abiola would have gone in overhauling the system, as he died before ever getting to the Presidency. However, given his track record for philanthropy and generosity, which was doled out without discrimination, both inside and outside of Nigeria. Plus the military's unwillingness to allow him to ascend to the Presidency, he was likely to have been very much in favour of the Nigerian masses.
Moshood Abiola was criticsed for being close to the military, however the way that he was treated by them after winning the June 12th elections, most likely indicates that the relationship was superficial at best.
[edit] Detention and Death
Abiola's wife, Kudirat, was murdered in a drive-by shooting in her car, for her dogged pursuit for the actualization of the perceived electoral mandate of her husband. His daughter, Hafsat Abiola, later became a democracy activist and founded the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy in honor of her mother.
Shortly after the death of Abacha, Abiola himself succumbed to a heart attack while in prison on July 7, 1998. Ironically, this was also the day he was due to be released from imprisonment. Though there is little evidence to support it, some conspiracy theorists in Nigeria allege that his death (and possibly Abacha's) was masterminded by the American CIA.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- ^ Hamilton, Janice. Nigeria in Pictures. Page 70.
- ^ Meaning of Kashimawo in Nigerian.name
- ^ Dibie, Robert A. Public Management and Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Military-bureaucracy Relationship, Page 51.
