Documentary “MKO” Premieres, Revisiting June 12 Election

On October 1, a documentary titled “MKO” premiered at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Lagos, attended by President Bola Tinubu. The film focuses on the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which was won by Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola but annulled, leading to a national crisis.

Directed by journalist Ose Oyamendan, the documentary aims to fill the historical documentation gap surrounding June 12, which has been recognized as Nigeria’s Democracy Day since 2019. Oyamendan interviewed over 50 individuals connected to the events, including former heads of state like General Ibrahim Babangida and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, as well as President Olusegun Obasanjo and pro-democracy activists.

The documentary utilizes rare footage and interviews to provide insights into the political landscape of the time and the legacy of Abiola, who was posthumously acknowledged as the election's winner by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018.