The management of Folio Media Group (FMG), publishers of Daily Times Newspapers, has expressed profound sorrow over the passing of its former Editorial Board member, Dr. Doyin Abiola, who died on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at the age of 82.
Dr. Doyin Abiola, wife of the late Chief MKO Abiola — acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election — was a trailblazing journalist, advocate for social justice, and a pioneering figure in Nigeria’s media landscape.
In a heartfelt tribute signed by Dr. Fidelis Anosike, Chairman and Publisher of Folio Media Group, Dr. Abiola’s death was described as “shocking,” especially as it came at a time when the country and the media industry still needed her wisdom, depth, and experience.
“It is with great shock and sadness that I received the news of the passing of Dr. Doyin Abiola,” Anosike said. “As a Features Writer who rose to Group Features Editor and later served on the Daily Times Editorial Board in the 1970s — a rare feat for a woman at the time — she distinguished herself with integrity, brilliance, and unmatched professionalism.”
Dr. Abiola’s journalism journey began at the Daily Sketch after earning her first degree in English and Drama from the University of Ibadan in 1969. She later joined the Daily Times as a Features Writer, steadily rising to become Group Features Editor. She furthered her education in the United States, obtaining a Master’s in Journalism and a PhD in Communications and Political Science from New York University in 1979.
Upon her return, she rejoined Daily Times as a member of the Editorial Board, working alongside renowned editors like Stanley Macebuh, Dele Giwa, and Amma Ogan. She would later move to National Concord where she made history as the first female editor of a daily newspaper in Nigeria and, subsequently, its Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief in 1986.
“Dr. Abiola was a consummate journalist, writer, and advocate for women’s rights,” Anosike noted. “She broke barriers for women in the media, and her legacy remains a beacon for future generations.”
Her illustrious career at National Concord spanned three decades. Beyond newsroom leadership, she served the Nigerian media industry in various national capacities, including as Chairperson of the Awards Nominating Panel at the inaugural Nigerian Media Merit Awards and as a member of the Advisory Council of the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Ogun State University.
In recognition of her lifelong contributions, Dr. Abiola received the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) Lifetime Achievement Award — becoming only the second woman to be so honoured — and was a recipient of the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship in 1986.
The Daily Times family, along with FMG and the wider media community, mourns the passing of a legend and joins millions of Nigerians in celebrating a life dedicated to journalism, democracy, and national development.
“We urge the Abiola family to take comfort in the knowledge that Dr. Doyin Abiola lived a truly fulfilled life,” Dr. Anosike concluded. “Her contributions to journalism and to Nigeria will not be forgotten.”
