Rinsola Abiola (South West ,Nigeria, 30’s) is a gender advocate, media strategist, politician and daughter of Nigeria’s democracy hero, Late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, the winner of the popular June 12, 1993 presidential elections annulled by the military. She is one of the founders of Progressives Sisters Network under the All Progressives Congress focus on promoting and canvassing for increased participation of women in politics and engaging government for greater gender representation in governance, and member of the APC.
Her father, Late Chief MKO Abiola is not one personality that can easily be brushed off and just mentioned without recognition of his contributions to the democracy that politicians josstle to have a big bite of.
A brilliant mind with impeccable antecedents, Abiola was a tycoon and the biggest philanthropist in Africa. He was an African pillar with investments scattered across Nigeria and the African continent.
From South Africa to Libya, Ghana, Uganda and Nigeria, Italy to the United Kingdom, UK, United States to Lebanon, Abiola’s fame was undeniable. He had his fingers in virtually every sector of the economy, including oil, aviation, farming, printing, publishing, communication and well as banking. Some of his business interests were Abiola Farms, Abiola Bookshops, Radio Communications Nigeria, Wonder Bakeries, Concord Press, Banuso Fisheries, Concord Airlines, Summit Oil International Ltd, Africa Ocean Lines and Habib Bank, among others. Abiola’s firms and companies employed over 5,000 people in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
Late MKO’s demise began when he made public his interest in becoming Nigeria’s president leading to military assault on the business tycoon. The various debacle of his aspiration cut his life short yet he fought to the death for Nigeria to become a democratic state. Rinsola was one of the four children bore by one of his wives, Folashade. The young lady who in her late 20s worked as a special adviser on New Media to the former Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara. She was born in London, trained as a statistician and public relations guru trained at the University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Ogun State and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. Born at a time that gave very little time to know her late father her trajectory was bordered on tragedy, hope and blessings. For a young woman who hardly knew her father growing up, she has decided to take shot at a political office. Imbued with intelligence, diligence and excellence, Rinsola exudes class, simplicity and a grass-roots camaraderie that are uncommon among individuals of her pedigree.
In 2019 she left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Action Democratic Party (ADP) to contest for the office of Federal House of Representative for Abeokuta North/Odeda/Obafemi Owode, Ogun State. For many political observers her tenacity and bravado was to be taken more seriously. It is no secret that she is intelligent and service driven considering her ability to stay off controversies and media splurge over the years despite her father’s enormous wealth and reputation.
During the 2022 battle for who will the ruling party, APC’s national youth leader, Rinsola threw her hat into the ring to such surprise by many who undermined her introvert demeanor. As tough as the bid was, her ambition was not shoved aside by the party chieftains in consideration of her father’s legacy and the grave debt that he paid some of the political actors to become benefactors. It would be no small achievement if a young woman her age emerged the party’s national youth leader.
Rinsola may just be on a new trajectory that could engineer her revival of her father’s achievement if she is strategically positioned to waddle through the rough political landscape. Her passion and commitment to advocate for greater inclusion of women and youth shall amplified giving rise to many more of her ilk stepping up to make a difference.