Tinubu, Akpabio, Govs, others relieve June 12 at premiere of MKO

Nigerians have the opportunity of relieving the memories, events, personalities and circumstances surrounding the June 12 democratic struggle with the release of MKO, a documentary on the life and legacy of late Chief MKO Abiola on Friday, October 2.

On Thursday October 1, President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq attended the documentary.

The premiere held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in Lagos ahead of the documentary’s nationwide cinema release.

The June 12 struggle is an epochal occasion in the nation’s democratic struggle. It was a period defined by protests and civil unrest over the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by business mogul late MKO Abiola.

The film is scheduled for nationwide cinema release on Friday, bringing Abiola’s political journey and democratic struggle to a wider audience.

Directed by Nigerian-American filmmaker Ose Oyamendan, MKO chronicles Abiola’s life, political career and enduring place in Nigeria’s democratic history.

The documentary focuses particularly on the June 12, 1993 presidential election annulled by the then military government.

It also examines Abiola’s subsequent detention and the pro-democracy struggle that followed the annulment of the election.

Abiola is widely recognised as the presumed winner of the June 12 presidential election, a watershed moment in Nigeria’s democratic history.

The documentary revisits the events surrounding the election and the political crisis that followed its annulment.

It also explores the broader struggle for the restoration of democratic governance and the sacrifices made by individuals involved.

The film premiered internationally at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival in the United Kingdom in June 2026.

It features archival materials and first-hand accounts from key personalities connected with the political events surrounding the June 12 election.

The materials provide historical perspectives on Abiola’s political activities, his detention and the pro-democracy movement that emerged after the election.

The documentary’s Lagos premiere brought together senior government officials, political leaders, cultural figures and other dignitaries.

The presidential delegation also included Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.

Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, was among the senior government officials who attended the premiere.

Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, also attended the event.

Former Ogun State Governor, Segun Osoba, and other dignitaries were also present at the premiere.

The event provided an opportunity to reflect on Abiola’s political legacy and the historical events that shaped Nigeria’s return to democratic rule.

Abiola’s emergence as the presumed winner of the 1993 election remains closely associated with Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle.

His detention following the annulment became a defining episode in the campaign against continued military rule.

The documentary therefore places Abiola’s personal story within the wider political and historical circumstances surrounding Nigeria’s democratic transition.

Its nationwide cinema release is expected to make the historical account accessible to audiences beyond those directly connected with the events.

The premiere also underscored the continuing interest in documenting major episodes that shaped Nigeria’s political development and democratic experience.