Nigerian-American providing Ose Oyamendan has dmaterialgreat work, giving us a body of documentary work that will teach younger generations about a part of our political history.
The documentary titled ‘MKO’, which chronicles the June 12 crisis, Abiola’s final years, premiered yesterday, October 1, at the National Theatre in Lagos, and President Bola Tinubu served as host.
MKO documentary talks about Nigeria’s president-elect dies suddenly and mysteriously in custody during a meeting with top U.S. diplomats in one of the one of the most explosive and unanswered political murder mysteries of our time. Who killed MKO Abiola and why?
The film features former military leaders Ibrahim Babangida, who annulled the 12 June election, and Abdulsalami Abubakar, whose administration oversaw Nigeria’s return to civilian rule. It also features former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who took over from the military after previously serving as a military leader; Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka; and Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, Abiola’s running mate.
Others include former American diplomats Walter Carrington and Thomas Pickering, the former US Deputy Secretary of State who led the meeting during which Abiola died; former Canadian High Commissioner Gerald Ohlsen; members of Abiola’s family; foreign journalists; and Theodore Zadok, who served as Abiola’s security guard during his detention.
Mr Oyamendan said that the film draws on an extensive collection of archival footage and powerful testimonies from individuals closely connected to the events it chronicles.
“This was a crucial point in Nigeria’s history where many of our leaders back then chose to side with the dictators. Tinubu risked his life, livelihood and his family’s safety by standing with the people’s mandate. This is a story of that struggle that has brought us to where we are today.”
Managing Director of Nile Entertainment which handles the distribution of the docu film, Moses Babatope said the project holds a strong personal significance for him.
“The story of MKO Abiola is particularly personal to me. My father worked at Concord Newspaper, one of the institutions founded by Chief MKO Abiola, so his legacy has always had a personal connection to my family. Beyond that personal connection, I believe this documentary is an important contribution to preserving Nigeria’s political history.
“MKO Abiola’s story is one of the most defining periods in our nation’s democratic journey, and this history must be documented and made accessible, particularly to a younger generation. It is a record of a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s history, brilliantly captured by Ose Oyamendan. We are proud to support its release and encourage audiences across the country to experience it in cinemas from October 2.”
The documentary had debuted at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival on 12 June.
