Born 24 August, 1937 in Abeokuta, Ogun State. His father was a produce trader who primarily traded in cocoa while his mum traded in kolanuts.
Kashimawo was a Nigerian billionaire, businessman, publisher, politician and aristocrat of the Yoruba Egba clan. He was the Aare Ona Kankafo of the Yoruba land.
In 1993, he ran for the presidency. The election was declared Nigeria’s freest and fairest presidential election by national and international observers, with Abiola even winning in his Northern opponent’s home state, Kano. Abiola won in over two-thirds of Nigerian states. However, the election was annulled by his very good friend, General Ibrahim Babangida, stirring a political crisis which led to the late General Sani Abacha seizing power later that year.
Chief Abiola died in suspicious circumstances shortly after the death of General Abacha, on the day that he was due to be released, July 7, 1998.
MKO Abiola was awarded the GCFR posthumously on 6 June 2018 by President Muhammadu Buhari whose government changed Nigeria’s democracy day from May 29 to June 12.