Tinubu Attends Premiere Of MKO Abiola Documentary In Lagos

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday attended the national premiere of MKO, a documentary chronicling the life, political journey and legacy of late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.

The premiere was held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts in Iganmu, Lagos, as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

Tinubu attended the event alongside First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and several senior government officials and dignitaries.

Among those present were Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila and Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy Hannatu Musawa were also at the premiere.

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

The documentary focuses particularly on the June 12, 1993 presidential election, its annulment by the military government, Abiola’s subsequent detention and the pro-democracy struggle that followed.

It features archival materials and first-hand accounts from personalities connected with the events surrounding the June 12 crisis. The film had its international premiere at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival in the United Kingdom in June 2026.

Abiola’s emergence as the presumed winner of the June 12 election and the events that followed remain significant chapters in Nigeria’s political history.

The documentary places his personal and political story within the wider struggle for the restoration of democratic rule after years of military government.

The Lagos premiere brought together political leaders, government officials, cultural figures and other dignitaries to mark the national release of the documentary.

Following its Independence Day premiere, MKO is scheduled for nationwide cinema release on Friday, October 2.

The screening provides audiences with an opportunity to revisit the events surrounding the June 12 election and the pro-democracy movement through archival footage and accounts from people connected with the period.