MKO ABIOLA: THE GREATEST NIGERIAN TODATE!
By Tajudeen Adeyemi
In every sense of being a Nigerian: detribalised, ‘dereligionised’, generous across every facet of Nigeria’s endeavours and to all Nigerians in their tribal, religious and cultural enclaves. He had the highest number of chieftaincies from almost all ethnic groups in Nigeria!
A latter day ‘political titan’ and ‘progressive’ that even the Military feared and the Western World trembled for (because of his stubborn campaign for Reparation for Africa for the twin injustices of slavery and colonisation – a strong supporter of all blacks in the diaspora).
A highly successful business mogul, pillar of sports in Africa. He was not ‘a money-miss-road illiterate’, but a First Class Graduate of Accounts from the University of Glasgow!
A ‘stammerer-orator’, and ‘stammerer-musician'(!)
A person whom the taciturn and highly principled Dr. Tai Solarin described as ‘an unknown genius’ because he witnessed MKO dictate a 33-page lecture paper inside the Aeroplane for an international conference they both attended, and which same paper took him (Tai Solarin) one month to prepare (!).
A very humble man to the old and young, men and women, rich and poor, royalty and pauper, who sought and got the votes of majority of Nigerians freely without monetisation or vote buying.
He was never the richest, but was the most generous Nigerian philanthropist to date! Let’s have the name of any other person in Nigerian history who equalled all the above (and much more) than M.K.O. Abiola! May your soul continue to rest in Paradise with Allah. Amen.
