MKO

CHIEF M.K.O. ABIOLA (1937-1998) By,  Seye Adetunmbi, first written in 2009

Seeing my octogenarian mother so engrossed, and struggling with her emotions while reading the feature story in the newspaper of June 12, 2009 on how Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO) died, I was equally moved to tears in the manner I did on July 7, 1998 when I saw the breaking news of his death in the television. There is nothing new anyone wants to write about June 12 of 1993 still I couldn't help it to put what had agitated my mind all these years at rest by writing under the above caption. Delay notwithstanding, one is still hopeful that reward of the unequaled injustice those annulled June 12 election did to Nigeria which also made MKO to pay the supreme price will surely come one day. My grouse with June 12 was the sheer waste of the man, the first truly elected President of Nigeria, Chief MKO Abiola. Also if there is anything I have against against Baba Obj it was his "Messiah" comment on MKO and lack of courage to redeem himself on the matter while in office for 8 years as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Likewise, for not being able to find the killers of the finest Yoruba politician I admired most after Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, in person of Chief Bola Ige. Chief M.K.O. Abiola was born on August 24, 1937 in Abeokuta. He was a product of Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta and University of Glasgow where he bagged 1st class in accountancy. As a qualified accountant, he worked with Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Pfizer and ITT Corporation where he rose to become the Vice-President, Africa and Middle-East. He made most of his money in the United States while retaining the post of chairman of the ITT's Nigerian subsidiary. Chief Abiola established Abiola Farms, Abiola Bookshops, Radio Communications Nigeria, Wonder Bakeries, Concord Press, Concord Airlines, Summit Oil International Ltd, Africa Ocean Lines, Habib Bank, Decca W.A. Limited, and Abiola football club. The business guru was also onetime President of the Nigeria Stock Exchange. He held 197 chieftaincy titles from 68 different communities in Nigeria, the highest of which was the Areonakakanfo of Yoruba nation. The 14th Areonakakanfo provided financial assistance in the construction of 63 secondary schools, 121 mosques and churches, 41 libraries, 21 water projects in 24 states of Nigeria, and he was grand patron to 149 societies or associations in Nigeria. On June 12 1993, Nigerians gave him their mandate to be president when he contested under SDP  in an unprecedented free and fair election in the history of Nigeria. Except for Jesus Christ on a spiritual note, who died so that all may be saved; yet I'm afraid if the world indeed earned it. When one sees unparalleled deceits in the Christian folds today, how people steal, maim and kill to have their way; some of them are even Church leaders and yet go back to seek God's face in attempts to bribe God. Haba! Heart of man is desperately evil indeed. How else can one explain it that it is people of the same Islamic faith that often pray close the Chief Iman that were behind the death of MKO, a distinguished benefactor to the faithfuls in the sect in his lifetime. Allahubar! Albeit, I'm yet to be convinced if there is any cause worth dying for in this life and not to talk of to die for Nigeria in particular. It reminds me what my mother used to tell me whenever I was endangering my life as a restless little boy "eni to ku, ti e lo gbe" (the person who dies, loses everything). Thus, I've always been a subscriber to conducting ones's affairs in a manner that one needs not to lose his/her soul. This is why I often say in applicable circumstance when I grew older, why be in a hurry to die, after all death is inevitable. Abiola's family knows better and can tell their story. Their major loss is the gain of the pack of ingrates, election riggers and all shades of criminals and opportunists who dominated our political landscape post-June 12 1993. The children of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola became orphans on the struggle. Likewise the families of Pa Rewane, Dele Giwa, Ken Sarowiwa etc know what it means to lose loved ones unjustly while pursuing a just cause. It is more painful, when you see the culpable devilish people flourishing and having their way. Thus, opting for an approach that would not make people to loose their dear lives in fighting a cause may be torturous yet it still remains the best in my humble opinion. However, "this God sef, ni suuru gan an ni o" (very patient God). I love God through Christ so much and I don't want to write too much in a critical manner about my Christian faith. All the same, "Baba God" should please help believers to sustain our faith in the midst of daunting national disasters and adversities caused by very few dubious self serving cliques. Let me rest it here until the day the grand-master and and other evil geniuses in our midst pay for their sins on our beloved Nigeria. What else can mere mortals do on matters like this than to wait patiently for all those remotely connected to the annulment of the election of June 12, 1993 and those responsible for the death of MKO to pay for their sins one after the other. This is also in the belief and hope that Nigeria is worth living for after all.