
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday attended the official launch and national premiere of MKO, a documentary chronicling the life and political legacy of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.
The premiere was held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in Lagos ahead of the documentary’s nationwide cinema release scheduled for Friday, October 2.
Directed by Nigerian-American filmmaker Ose Oyamendan, MKO examines Abiola’s political journey, his victory in the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the annulment of the election by the military government and the events that followed.
The documentary also explores Abiola’s detention and the wider pro-democracy struggle that emerged following the annulment, which became one of the defining episodes in Nigeria’s political history.
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Tinubu attended the premiere alongside First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu and several senior political and government officials.
Among those present were Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Also at the event were Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila and Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy Hannatu Musawa.
Former Ogun State Governor Segun Osoba and other dignitaries also attended the event.
The documentary features archival materials and first-hand accounts from personalities connected to the political events surrounding the June 12 election and the struggle for the restoration of democratic rule.
Its international premiere took place at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival in the United Kingdom in June 2026, where it was introduced to an international documentary audience.
The Lagos premiere marks the film’s formal national presentation before its commercial release across Nigerian cinemas.
Abiola remains a significant figure in Nigeria’s democratic history, particularly because of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as a pivotal moment in the country’s political development.
The election was annulled by the military government despite Abiola’s reported victory, triggering widespread political resistance and a prolonged pro-democracy campaign.
Abiola was subsequently detained after declaring his mandate, while several activists, journalists and political figures became involved in the struggle against military rule.
The documentary revisits those events through historical footage, archival records and accounts from people connected to the period.
Its nationwide cinema release on October 2 is expected to give a wider Nigerian audience an opportunity to revisit Abiola’s political journey and the historical circumstances surrounding June 12.
The premiere also brought together political leaders, cultural stakeholders, filmmakers and other public figures, highlighting the continuing place of Abiola’s story within Nigeria’s political and cultural history.

