30 years since the assassination of Alhaja Kudirat Olayinka Abiola, wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola. She was murdered by agents of the military junta on 4 June 1996 for daring to stand solidly behind her husband and the democratic mandate Nigerians freely gave.
In a statement signed by Gbenga Soloki, Executive Director of the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence [CAIDOV,Β the organization paid tribute to Kudirat Abiola as a symbol of courage, sacrifice, and unwavering patriotism.
β30 years later, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola remains Nigeriaβs conscience. She was not a politician, yet she paid the supreme price for democracy. She stood solidly behind her husband when it was dangerous to do so. She spoke when silence would have saved her life. The junta killed her body, but they could not kill her conviction,β Soloki said.
CAIDOV recalled that Kudirat Abiola transformed grief into resistance. After her husband was detained, she became the face of the pro-democracy struggle, addressing rallies, mobilizing women, and confronting military dictatorship at great personal risk until she was gunned down in Lagos traffic.
*30 years after her murder, CAIDOV demands:*
1. *Full accountability* β The full truth about her assassination must be told. Those who ordered and executed the killing must be named and condemned by the state without equivocation.
2. *National recognition* β Kudirat Abiola deserves more than memorial lectures. Nigeria must institutionalize her legacy in school curricula and name national institutions after her to teach future generations what courage looks like.
3. *Protection for women in activism* β Her murder was an attack on women who dare to lead. The state must guarantee safety for female activists, journalists, and political actors who speak truth to power.
4. *Completion of the June 12 dream* β The best tribute to Kudirat Abiola is a Nigeria where votes count and institutions are strong
βKudirat Abiolaβs blood watered the tree of Nigeriaβs democracy. 30 years after, we still battle voter suppression and electoral violence. Her life asks us: What are we willing to stand for?β Soloki asked.
CAIDOV urged Nigerians, especially women and young people, to draw strength from her example.
The organization called on the Federal and Lagos State Governments to lead memorial activities that reflect the national importance of her sacrifice.
βAlhaja Kudirat Olayinka Abiola did not die in vain. She stood solidly behind her husband, and today we must stand solidly behind her legacy. May her memory continue to inspire every Nigerian who believes that democracy is worth dying for,β the statement concluded.
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