MKO Abiola: His politics, his sports

By Chima Obi Uchendu

There is no controversy. June 12, 1993 remains a watershed in the annals of Nigeria’s history.

Decades after, most Nigerians,still remember that date with nostalgia. It was a sunny Saturday. And Nigerians, irrespective of tribe and religion voted for the billionaire businessman, philanthropist, and politician, Bashorun M.K.O Abiola as the second democratically elected president of Nigeria.

Nigerians spoke loudly on June 12, 1993. But those who held the levers of power at the time thought the election never mattered. They did everything to obliterate the voice of the people.They annulled the freest and fairest presidential election ever in a strange circumstance. Twenty six years after, June 12, 1993 has assumed a new life.

Relating the late Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland  to sports development, Abeokuta, Ogun State-born billionaire was instrumental to advance in sports in the ’80s up to early ’90s, especially football. He floated the Abiola Babes FC of Abeokuta which produced the likes of late Rashidi Yekini, late Raymond King, Tajudeen Disu, Yisa Shofoluwe, among others.

He also formed the Concord Football Club of Abeokuta that produced lke Shorunmu, Emmanuel Amuneke, Emmanuel Teberen. Aside football, he was pivotal to Nigeria’s participation in the Olympic Games and All African Games of 1984. Few examples will suffice here: Los Angeles Olympic Games (1984), the1988 Seoul Olympics, the 1987 All Africa Games in Kenya, the 1991 All Africa Games, the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games,, among others.

Abiola contributed enormously in cash and kind. He led many federal delegations to global and continental sports events. What is more, he financed personally. He never used government money. Many Nigerian sportsmen and women benefited a lot through Abiola’s philantropy, sponsoring their education in many American and British universities. Examples of beneficiaries of Abiola’s large heart include former Abiola Babes captain, Tajudeen Disu, Brenda Alada, and many more.

Ologundudu, as juju musician Sir Shina Peters dubbed Abiola in his popular 1990 album, ACE, was the first Pillar of Sports in both Nigeria and Africa, an honour bestowed on him by the Nigerian and African Sports Writers Associations.

Sports apart, M.K.O. Abiola meant more to many people. His landmark contributions to humanity are too numerous to enumerate. Any wonder then that his name occupies golden pages in history books across the country, even Africa; and globally.