Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, popularly known as MKO Abiola was a Nigerian Business man who contested and was presumed to have won the June 12, 1993 Nigerian Presidential election.
Born on August 24, 1937 into a poor family in Abeokuta, Ogun State South Western Nigeria, MKO Abiola started his first business at the age of nine; selling firewood. He would gather the firewood from the forest and arrange them for sale before going to school.
At the age of 15, he was a leader of a band that was famous in performing in ceremonies in Abeokuta in 1952. He got a scholarship to study at the University of Glasgow, Scotland in 1960.
Here are top 10 Memorable quotes of MKO Abiola
Top 10 Memorable quotes of MKO Abiola
1. There is no humiliation I have not endured, no snare that has not been put in my path, no “setup” that has not been designed for me in my endeavor to use the path of peace to enforce the mandate that you bestowed on me.
2. No one can give you power. It is yours. Take it! From this day, show to the world that anyone who takes the people of Nigeria for fools is deceiving himself and will have the people to answer to.
3. We are sickened to see people who have shown little or no personal achievement, either in building up private businesses, or making success of any tangible thing, being placed in charge of the management of our nation’s economy, by rulers who are not accountable to anyone.
4. If you want something from a dwarf, stoop low to his level. It does not reduce your own height. Whenever you rise up, you will be taller than him
5. Only real democracy can move our nation forward towards progress, and earn her the respect she deserves from the international community.
6. A scarcity of books and equipment has rendered our schools into desolate deserts of ignorance
7. You cannot shave the head in the absence of the owner
8. We are plagued also by periodic balance of payments crises, which have led to a perennial shortage of essential drugs that has turned our hospitals and clinics into mortuaries
9. Our youths, in particular, can see no hope on the horizon, and many can only dream of escaping from our shores to join the brain drain. Is this the Nigeria we want? We are plagued also by periodic balance of payments crises, which have led to a perennial shortage of essential drugs, that has turned our hospitals and clinics into mortuaries
10. Those with whom I have sought to dialogue have remained like stones, neither stirred to show loyalty to the collective decision of the people of their own country, nor to observe Allah’s injunction that they should exhibit justice and fair play in all their dealings with their fellowmen