Dr. Doyinsola Abiola, former Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of the defunct National Concord newspapers, has died at the age of 82. She passed away on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
An iconic figure in Nigerian journalism and a trailblazer for women in the media, Dr. Abiola was the first Nigerian woman to edit a national newspaper. She began her journalism career at Daily Sketch after graduating from the University of Ibadan in 1969 with a degree in English and Drama. At Daily Sketch, she penned the column Tiro, addressing social issues with a strong focus on gender advocacy.
In 1970, she left for the United States to further her education, earning a master’s degree in journalism and later completing a Ph.D. in communications and political science from New York University in 1979. Upon her return, she joined Daily Times as a Features Writer, rising to become Group Features Editor and later working on the editorial board alongside celebrated journalists like Stanley Macebuh and Dele Giwa.
Dr. Abiola’s defining career moment came when she joined the newly established National Concord as its pioneering daily editor. She rose through the ranks and, in 1986, was appointed Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, becoming the first woman to hold such a position in Nigeria's newspaper industry. Her leadership at National Concord spanned over three decades.
Beyond her newsroom achievements, Dr. Abiola was a significant figure in shaping journalism in Nigeria. She chaired the Awards Nominating Panel of the maiden Nigerian Media Merit Awards and was a member of the Advisory Council of the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences at Ogun State University. In 1986, she was selected for the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship.
In recognition of her lifelong dedication to journalism and nation-building, she received the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) Lifetime Achievement Award. She was only the second woman to be so honoured, after Mrs. Omobola Onajide.
Dr. Doyin Abiola, the widow of the late Chief MKO Abiola, leaves behind an enduring legacy in Nigerian journalism, women's leadership, and democratic advocacy.
