Ogun State, Abiola’s children thank Buhari

Ogun State government has thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for conferring the highest posthumous award of the land, Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR), on its ‘illustrious son’ late Chief M. K. O Abiola.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa, on Wednesday night.

“We are grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari for this recognition of an illustrious son of Ogun State and an icon of our democratic struggle, Chief M. K. O Abiola.

“President Buhari has shown with this action that he is a man that believes in justice and giving to every person his or her dues.

“Although this posthumous award may appear to some people to have come late, we thank the President. We urge all lovers of democracy and goodwill to continue to support the ideals for which Chief M. K. O Abiola lived and died for,” the statement read in part.

Also, the family of late business mogul and acclaimed winner of the June 12 1993 election, Chief M.K.O Abiola, commended President Buhari for the honour accorded their father.

In a letter addressed to the president by one of his children, Abdullateef Kola Abiola, the family said the decision has righted the wrong done to its patriarch.

“On behalf of the wives, children and grandchildren of late Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, I am writing to formally express our appreciation to you for conferring him with the National Honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) and designating June 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria going forward.

“Your Excellency, as I wrote in my letter to you on June 12, 2016, in our minds, the award was the only befitting recognition of the importance of Chief Abiola’s fight for democracy for Nigeria which culminated in 4 years of incarceration/solitary confinement and decimation of his business and financial interests, before the ultimate sacrifice being his life on July 7, 1998 at the age of 60.”