African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore shares a powerful story about his only meeting with Chief MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.
In 1993, Sowore, then a 21-year-old student union leader at the University of Lagos, led a delegation to visit Abiola shortly after the election was annulled by General Ibrahim Babangida. Sowore recently recounted this encounter on the Honest Bunch podcast.
During their meeting, Abiola offered Sowore and his colleagues ₦800,000 for transportation, but Sowore declined the offer. Reflecting on this experience, Sowore described it as their first and last meeting, one that left a lasting impression on him.
The podcast, co-hosted by Nedu, Husband Material, Deity Cole, and Ezinne, began with a question to Sowore about his photo with Chief MKO Abiola, then one of Africa’s richest men. Sowore explained that the photo was taken in 1993, just after the June 12 election had been annulled.
Sowore recalled how he and his colleagues drove to Abiola’s residence in a student union bus, broke through protocol, and directly asked to see him. Abiola recognized Sowore as a student union leader and praised his efforts.
Sowore asked Abiola if he was truly ready for the struggle and prepared to sacrifice everything for Nigeria. He warned Abiola that some of the politicians present didn’t believe in his vision and would eventually betray him.
In the room were several politicians who seemed more interested in Abiola’s wealth than his cause. Sowore said he told Abiola that these people didn’t believe in his vision and would betray him. Abiola then reached for his duffel bag and started counting ₦800,000, which he offered to Sowore and his colleagues for transportation.
Sowore refused the offer, citing that the amount was insufficient to cover their transportation from UNILAG to Abiola’s residence. He noted that his refusal made some of the politicians uncomfortable, but Chief Anthony Enahoro, who was also present, supported him.
Abiola later walked them out to ease the tension. Outside, John Momoh, now the owner of Channels Television, was waiting with his cameraman to interview Abiola. That’s when the famous photo was taken, Sowore said.
Sowore shared that he only discovered the existence of this photo in 2018. He explained that a photographer, Tunji Oyelero, who worked at Vanguard, had taken the photo but never gave it to him. The photographer passed away before Sowore could get the photo, and someone sent it to him later.
