Were he to be alive, MKO Abiola would have sang today after his investiture as a Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR). Why? Music helped the politician, accountant, businessman, media mogul and philantrophist in his years of struggle.
At the age of nine he, as Wikipedia puts it, started his first business selling firewood gathered in the forest at dawn before school, to support his father and siblings. ‘He founded a band at the age of fifteen and would perform at various ceremonies in exchange for food. He was eventually able to require payment for his performances, and used the money to support his family and his secondary education at the Baptist Boys High School Abeokuta. He was the editor of the school magazine The Trumpeter, Olusegun Obasanjo was deputy editor.’
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/YibeuotLvcc
In this video, Abiola showed his joy when it was becoming clear that he had won the June 12, 1993 election. Thus, he sang:
Oni dodo,
Oni moin moin
Nigba tio ta
Lo gbegba kale
E wa wo ija
Ni Lafiagi