Nigerians beg FG to immortalise Kudirat Abiola

Nineteen years after Kudirat Abiola, wife of MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, was assassinated, some Nigerians have continued to appeal to the federal government to immortalise her.

Kudirat was shot dead by gunmen along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on June 4 1996. Her death occurred while her husband was in detention.

The Campaign for Democracy (CD) and Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) held a memorial programme in her honour on Thursday.

Speaking at the programme, Joe Okei-Odumakin, president of CD, said  it was unfortunate that nearly two decades after the tragic incident, the perpetrators of the heinous act had not been brought to book.

She described the late politician’s wife as a heroine and called on the government to intensify efforts to arrest her killers.

“It is an indictment on the criminal justice administration system in Nigeria that 19 years after the dastardly act, a closure has yet to be brought to the gruesome murder,” she said.

“The anniversary of her assassination is a moment to recall her heroic deed and to demand justice for her by putting the justice system in Nigeria to task on the culprits of the barbaric act.”

On her part, Ganiyat Fawehinmi, widow of late human rights activist and lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, called on the federal government to strengthen the judicial system and also bring Kudirat’s killers to book.

“Until those who killed Kudirat Abiola are brought to book, her spirit will continue to hunt them,” she said.

“Kudirat stood for democracy and lost her life; that fight that she fought should not be in vain.

“I also want government to do something to overhaul the judicial system and at the same time immortalise her.”

Gani Adams, national leader of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), urged the government to name an important place after the deceased.

“Government at all levels must not allow what happened between June 4 and 12 to be forgotten in a hurry,” he said.

“Nigeria must recognise her and the husband the same way Lagos state government has done by naming very important monuments after them.

“Ninety-nine per cent of people benefitting from government today did not pay the price they paid. So, the only way to recognise this family is to recognise them.”

Ndubuisi Kanu, a retired military officer and chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), also made case for Kudirat’s immortalisation, saying she paid the supreme price.

He commended the organisers of the event for remembering her on a yearly basis.

Jamiu Abiola, one of her sons, urged the authorities to honour his mother.

“America has named streets after two Africans; they are Nelson Mandela and my mother,” he said.

“That shows that they value, respect and recognise these two for their struggles. Nigeria must respect their heroes and heroines even after death.”