A leadership and mentorship instructor, Prof. Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr, has applauded a daughter of the late Chief MKO Abiola, Hafsat Abiola-Costello, for describing and comparing GYB Hope Movement with that of her late father.
Nwaokobia Jnr in a press statement made available to journalists said Hafsat is always known to be brave, courageous, intelligent and outspoken.
He said Hafsat who was orphaned by the struggle having lost her mum, Kudirat Abiola first to the Abacha infamy, and her dad, MKO Abiola later on, bearing with her siblings the gravest and the greatest scars of the June 12 struggle and as such understands her father’ struggle and cannot be rubbished by anyone over her support for Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
Governor Bello had last Saturday declared to contest for the presidency in 2023, christening his campaign slogan ‘Hope ’23’ after that of the presumed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, late MKO Abiola, Hope ’93.
Part of the statement reads; “The Hafsat that I know, is never given to playing the lackey to any opportunistic grabber and never a rabble rouser. So to those who have ears, let them hear.
“I elected deliberately to open this intervention with the above quotable quote of a seventy something years old intellectual from the South-West State of Ondo. And I must add that we know Hafsat Abiola-Costello, we know her pedigree, we know her passion, we know her fight, we know her persuasions and we know her doggedness, so we aren’t going to let no nonstarter rubbish her.
“She knows her onion and she is worth every pint and pinch of her salt. She knows the Abiola phenomenon, she knew her Father, she was orphaned by the Struggle having lost her Mom Kudirat Abiola first to the Abacha infamy, and her Dad MKO Abiola later on. She and her siblings bear the gravest and the greatest scars of the June 12 struggle, and she insists that the dream for which she lost her both parents will not die. She is almost 5 decades old, she is clearheaded and sagacious, so may the dart throwers do some introspection and soul searching.
“She could not have compared GYB with MKO for nothing, she has her facts, and they are beyond beer parlour tales and inveigle. Her both parents were martyrs for democracy, and she insists that their martyrdom will not be in vain, that HOPE must resonate yet again, and that with GYB Nigeria is on THE MARCH AGAIN. Remember that famous HOPE 93 campaign song? If you know, you know.
“If you do not know GYB then you perhaps did not know the one that came before him, MKO was 56years old when he sought the high office of President with the mantra Hope ’93. GYB is a decade younger, at 46 GYB has launched his movement to Aso Rock seeking the high office of President with the mantra Hope 2023 Bridging The Gap. Yes 56, and 46”
“MKO was a Chartered Accountant and a business mogul. GYB is a Chartered Accountant and a business mogul. MKO was one of the lead financers of the defunct NPN which was the party at the centre in the second Republic. And GYB is one of the lead financers and the shield of the party at the centre, the APC, here the word ‘shield’ is not mine but that of the Senate President Senator Ahmed Lawan. He called GYB the shield of the APC.
“MKO was a great philanthropist and a lover of humankind. He was the Pillar of Sports in Africa. And a motivation to the teaming Nigerian Youths. GYB is a philanthropist and a leader with a heart of gold. He is a formidable sports lover and supporter of Sports in Nigeria. His person and ambition has attracted the highest support of sportsmen and women in Nigeria and that is instructive. And Kogi State within the past two years have hosted more Nigerian Sporting greats than any other state in Nigeria. Need I also state here that GYB runs the highest youth inclusive government in today’s Nigeria. Like MKO would have done, GYB is doing.”
