Last Wednesday, events marking the Democracy Day, which has now been fixed for June 12 of every year by the Federal Government, evoked the memories of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, famously known as MKO Abiola.
The late MKO Abiola, who was presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, died in very mysterious circumstances in 1998, amidst public outcry.
Since he passed on 21 years ago, his memories have remained indelible for so many reasons. In his time, the late Abiola was arguably the richest Nigerian, with a very intimidating Curriculum Vitae, CV.
Abiola, a business tycoon and the biggest philanthropist in Africa, had investments scattered all around Nigeria and some parts of the continent. He had his fingers in virtually every sector of the economy, including oil, aviation, farming, printing, publishing, communication and banking.
Some of his business interests include 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.
At a point, one of his companies, Abiola’s farm, reportedly employed over 5,000 people in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
Sadly, since he passed on some 21 years ago, some of his business interests have been experiencing hard times.
Only recently, his Summit Oil, which is being run by his first son, Kola, came under the hammer of the Federal Government, as its licence was revoked.
Summit Oil alongside some others suffered that fate, following the presidential directive to ‘’ recover legacy debts’’.
It was gathered that the company before now had been gasping for breath due to choking debts.
A source revealed to CITYSPY that it had also been in some legal tussles with Seistech Energy Limited that had earlier filed a petition before a Federal High Court in Lagos, urging the court to stop the pioneer exploration and production of crude oil of the company on the grounds that it had become insolven
