In a revealing interview, Jamiu Abiola, son of the late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election, has offered insights into why the ruthless regime of General Sani Abacha seemingly spared Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, the revered mother of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, despite her son’s prominent role in the pro-democracy movement.

While many activists faced severe persecution, imprisonment, or even death under Abacha, Abiola suggested that the sheer influence and widespread grassroots support enjoyed by Alhaja Mogaji made her an “impossible target” for the military junta.

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“The only reason my mother (Kudirat Abiola) was an easy target was because she and a very few others were lone rangers,” Abiola stated, drawing a stark contrast. “But people like the president’s mother were hard to find.”

Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, who served as the Iyaloja General of Lagos State Market Women Association for decades, commanded immense respect and loyalty from market women across the nation. Her position as a powerful figure within the trading community meant that any direct harm to her would have likely ignited widespread public unrest, particularly in the economically vital city of Lagos.

Abiola further debunked recent claims circulating in some political circles that Alhaja Mogaji had mobilized market women to support the annulment of the June 12 election. He vehemently denied this, asserting that such an action would have been “insulting to Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji’s legacy” and would have resulted in her immediate rejection by the vast majority of traders who staunchly supported MKO Abiola.

In fact, Abiola highlighted a lesser-known but deeply symbolic act of defiance by Alhaja Mogaji. She reportedly petitioned then-military head of state, Ibrahim Babangida, to rescind the annulment, even removing her headscarf in public as an emotional plea – a gesture captured in photographs and remembered by many who witnessed it in Abuja at the time.

Jamiu Abiola’s perspective underscores the unique protective shield that traditional authority and widespread public endearment could offer even in the face of a brutal military dictatorship. While Bola Tinubu himself was forced into exile due to his unwavering opposition, his mother’s deeply rooted influence within the societal fabric of Lagos seemingly made her untouchable in a way that many other activists were not.

Abiola’s comments come amidst renewed discussions about President Tinubu’s role in the June 12 struggle and serve to clarify historical narratives, emphasizing the distinct ways different figures navigated the treacherous political landscape of the Abacha era.