18 years After: Kudirat Abiola On My Mind

In the early morning of June 14 1996, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, the late wife of the celebrated Hero of Democracy in Nigeria the late Chief MKO Abiola had an appointment to keep in the Lagos Island. She left her home in Opebi, Ikeja in her husband’s Benz 300 S-Class clearly unaware that some killers; Major Mumuni, Major Dan Asabe, Sergeant Rogers and one Major Daramola were following her with an order from Abuja to kill her. The time was 9.40am that morning as they approached the Seven-up end of Oregun Industrial Estate to join the famous Lagos Ibadan Expressway and on this ungodly spot they shot and snuffed out life of an African Heroine. And Alhaja Kudirat Abiola died. In November 17 1995 at the Launching of my Book: IGBOS: 25 YEARS AFTER BIAFRA at the National Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island this great and courageous woman was there and sat quietly and gracefully too at the high table. In her own speech I remember vividly she said that if need be she is ready to spill the last pint of her blood to fight for June 12. In her own words she said “June 12 is worth defending with our lives, otherwise our children will continue to be slaves in their own fatherland”she understood that those who want peace should also be prepared for war. Kudirat had dismissed fear in her life and said:  “Nobody can cow me down, if they want to jail me, let them do so. I don’t care. I am fighting for what is right and just. God Himself does not support injustice” Her precious and prodigious daughter, Hafsat now Mrs Hafsat Castello added a clincher: “If the only way we could have saved her life was to have her silent in the face of tyranny and oppression, then there is no point”… continued