President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday, October 1, attended the national premiere of MKO, a documentary on the life, political career and legacy of late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola and the June 12 pro-democracy struggle.
The premiere, held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Lagos, was part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary. Tinubu attended the event with First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.
Directed and produced by Nigerian-American filmmaker Ose Oyamendan, MKO examines the events surrounding the June 12, 1993 presidential election, its annulment by the military government and the subsequent campaign by pro-democracy activists for the restoration of democratic rule.
The documentary also chronicles Abiola’s arrest in 1994 after he declared his mandate and his death in detention in 1998. It draws on archival materials and interviews with individuals connected to the events of the period.
The premiere was attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang and Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, among other government officials and dignitaries.
Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy Hannatu Musa Musawa welcomed guests to the event, while the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, paid tribute to Nigerians who died, were detained, persecuted or forced into exile during the struggle for the restoration of democracy.
Onanuga also led the gathering in observing a minute’s silence in honour of those who lost their lives during the pro-democracy struggle. He said the documentary should help preserve the history of the period and the sacrifices made by Nigerians who opposed military rule.
He listed pro-democracy activists, journalists, lawyers, students, workers, academics and Nigerians in the diaspora among those who contributed to the struggle, while specifically remembering figures including Anthony Enahoro, Gani Fawehinmi, Beko Ransome-Kuti, Alfred Rewane, Frank Kokori and Ndubuisi Kanu.
According to Onanuga, the democratic freedoms enjoyed by Nigerians today were shaped by the sacrifices made during the struggle. He also described the documentary as a tribute not only to Abiola but to the wider movement that demanded recognition of the June 12 mandate.
Musawa said the documentary was intended to preserve accounts of the events surrounding the 1993 election and help younger Nigerians understand the historical circumstances that preceded the country’s return to civilian rule.
Oyamendan, who produced the film, also acknowledged the individuals and organisations that supported its production. He recalled interviewing Tinubu when he was a senator in 1992.
MKO previously had its international premiere at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2026. The documentary is scheduled for nationwide cinema release in Nigeria from October 2.
The film is expected to provide audiences, particularly younger Nigerians who did not experience the June 12 crisis, with an opportunity to examine the people, events and political developments that shaped an important period in Nigeria’s democratic history.
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Politics