My first memory of Chief Abiola was around 1971, about 47 years ago, as
\na pupil of the Staff School at the University of Lagos where Kola, his
\nfirst son, was my classmate. A dutiful father, he used to pick up his
\nchildren from school regularly.<\/p>\n
His first wife, the late Alhaja Simbiat Abiola was also my mother\u2019s
\nclose friend.<\/p>\n
Fast forward to 1990 when I was a young entrepreneur. I had a taste of
\nChief Abiola\u2019s magnanimity and kindness. I developed the idea for an
\nAwolowo Memorial Concert which I shared with my good friend and Papa
\nAwolowo\u2019s grandson, Segun, who went to see Chief Abiola about our
\nintention to have him as the Chairman of the event. And despite his
\npolitical difference with Pa Awolowo in his lifetime, he not only showed
\nup but arrived with his late wife, Alhaja Simbiat Abiola \u2013 and they
\ndanced to the various artistes, especially Sir Shina Peters.<\/p>\n
The highlight for Segun and I was the NGN100,000 cheque he gave us at
\nthe event. A huge amount back then and we admired it all the way to the
\nbank.<\/p>\n
While we were seeing them off, he took me aside, shook my hand in
\ncommendation and called me a Great Man.
\nIn 1991, I went to tell my late father, Sir Michael to go into politics
\nand he dismissed it saying politics is not for \u201comoluwabis\u201d as he also
\nmade a reference to the travails of Chief Abiola with the NPN leading to
\nhis much-publicized retirement from politics. I succeeded in getting him
\n(my father) to run\u2026 and the rest is history.<\/p>\n
After my father\u2019s victory at the polls and seeing the need to rest, the
\nthen Governor of Lagos State, Brig. Gen. Raji Rasaki (Rtd), advised him
\nto take two weeks off, restrict visits as he provided the LASG Guest
\nHouse on Joel Ogunnaike Road, GRA Ikeja, for the purpose. After a week
\nthere, I went to see my late father around 7.30 am and, lo and behold, I
\nmet Chief Abiola and Alhaja Simibiat waiting to see him in the living
\nroom. And when he saw me, he said, \u201cGreat man, where is your daddy?\u201d<\/p>\n
My late father felt Chief Abiola would make a great President because of
\nhis deep wisdom, large heart and pan-Nigerian outlook\u2026<\/p>\n
I have studied Chief Abiola\u2019s life in politics, philanthropy and most
\nimportantly building people, and his doggedness, fairness, wisdom and a
\ngood heart are traits that should be emulated. He was a man of all
\nseasons.<\/p>\n
I wonder what it would have been like if Chief Abiola was sworn-in as
\nPresident. Did we lose the opportunity to become the Dubai of Africa?
\nWould Nigeria have surmounted the developmental challenges we face in
\nhealth, education and industrialization?
\nYour guess is as good as mine.<\/p>\n
My first memory of Chief Abiola was around 1971, about 47 years ago, as a pupil of the Staff School at the University of Lagos where Kola, his first son,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":67241,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n