Bashorun '''Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola''' (* 24. August 1937 in Abeokuta; † 7. Juli 1998 in Abuja) war ein nigerianischer Politiker und Geschäftsmann. Er gewann 1993 die ersten demokratischen Wahlen Nigerias, die jedoch von Ibrahim Babangida annulliert wurden. Ein Jahr danach rief sich Abiola zum rechtmäßigen Präsidenten Nigerias aus, daraufhin wurde er von dem Diktator Sani Abacha des Hochverrats angeklagt und eingesperrt. Er verstarb im Gefängnis an einem Herzinfarkt kurz vor seiner Entlassung.

== Leben ==
Moshood Abiola war der Sohn einer armen, muslimischen Yoruba-Familie im Süden Nigerias. Sein Mittelname ''Kashimawo'' soll ''„lasst uns warten und sehen“'' heißen, den ihm seine Mutter gab, nachdem sie einige Fehlgeburten erlitten hatte und viele Babys nach kurzer Zeit verstorben waren.

Er ging zunächst auf die islamische ''Nawar Ud-Deen School'' und die christliche ''African Central School''. Abiola promivierte an der ''Baptist Boys' High School'' und erhielt Anfang 1961 ein Stipendium, dass ihm ermöglichte Buchhaltung in Schottland zu studieren. 1963 erhielt er seinen Abschluss mit Auszeichnungen und arbeitete als stellvertretender Hauptbuchhalter im ''Lagos University Teaching Hospital''. Von 1969 bis 1988 arbeitete er schließlich für das amerikanische Unternehmen ''International Telephone and Telecommunications'' und wurde sogar Managing Director and Chief Executive. Diese Zeit ließ ihn zu einem reichen Mann werden und er gründete mehrere Firmen wie beispielsweise die ''Radio Communications of Nigeria'' im Jahr 1974. Er unterhielt Geschäftbeziehungen in 60 Ländern, seine eigenen nigerianischen Firmen beschäftigten etwa 20.000 Mitarbeiter.

Seine politische Karriere begann Moshood Abiola erst 1979 als er in die ''National Party'' eintrat. 1993 trat er als Kandidat für die ''Social Democratic Party'' zu den Wahlen an.

Chief '''Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola''' (often referred to as '''M. K. O. Abiola''', Yoruba businessman, publisher and politician, though he was an accountant by training. He ran for the presidency in 1993, and won, but was denied the opportunity to become President when the election results were annulled by a court during the regime of Ibrahim Babangida.

==Early life and career==
Abiola was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State.<ref name="born">Hamilton, Janice. ''Nigeria in Pictures.'' Page 70.</ref> His name, Kashimawo, means "''Lets wait and see''".<ref>[http://www.nigerian.name/w/index.php?title=Kashimawo Meaning of Kashimawo in Nigerian.name]</ref> His early career was with the ITT Corporation, where he later rose to the position of Vice President, Africa and Middle-East. Abiola built a vast business empire consisting of an airline, publishing company, farms, shipping line, bookshops, oil company, bank, to name a few. Abiola, along with ex-military leader Olusegun Obasanjo, was "name-dropped" at the end of musician Fela Kuti's 25-minute political screed "International Thief Thief", which led to Fela's arrest in 1983 on faked currency charges. There is no evidence to suggest that Moshood Abiola had anything to do with Fela's arrest.

==Presidential elections==
In the presidential elections of Social Democratic Party (his running mate was Baba Gana Kingibe) and overwhelmingly defeated his northern rival, Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention. However, the election was annulled by Ibrahim Babangida, and subsequent events led to General Sani Abacha seizing power later that year. When Abiola declared himself the lawful president of Nigeria, he was accused of treason and imprisoned. He is widely believed to have won what was considered to have been Nigeria's freest and fairest presidential election. He has been referred to as Nigeria's greatest statesman<ref name="election">Dibie, Robert A. ''Public Management and Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Military-bureaucracy Relationship,'' Page 51.</ref>, but in a country with a history of political corruption, it is impossible to say how far Moshood Abiola would have gone in overhauling the system, as he died before ever getting to the Presidency. However, given his track record for philanthropy and generosity, which was doled out without discrimination, both inside and outside of Nigeria. Plus the military's unwillingness to allow him to ascend to the Presidency, he was likely to have been very much in favour of the Nigerian masses. Moshood Abiola was criticsed for being close to the military, however the way that he was treated by them after winning the June 12th elections, most likely indicates that the relationship was superficial at best.

==Detention and Death==
Abiola's wife, Kudirat, was murdered in a drive-by shooting in her car, for her dogged pursuit for the actualization of the perceived electoral mandate of her husband. His daughter, Hafsat Abiola, later became a democracy activist and founded the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy in honor of her mother.