I was with Kudirat Abiola for the final day of her life, right up until she was killed — Oloyede

Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, has made a startling revelation, stating that he spent the last 24 hours with the late Kudirat Abiola before her assassination in 1996.

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This disclosure was made during an interview on ThisDay Live on Sunday, where Oloyede explained his reluctance to write a memoir, despite his extensive experience in public service, citing the potential to reopen old wounds or spark unnecessary controversies.

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According to Oloyede, documenting his experiences would necessitate revealing sensitive events, and he recalled one such experience, where he was with Kudirat Abiola, the wife of Chief Moshood Abiola, in the final hours before her death.

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Oloyede recounted the experience, saying he was with the late Kudirat Abiola for about 24 hours before her assassination, and expressed his sentiment, saying "May God bless her soul".

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The former JAMB boss has witnessed many historic events over the years, but believes that some experiences are best left undocumented, stating that "there are so many things that I know, and many people know, that it is better you do not go back to".

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Oloyede's decision not to write an autobiography for now stems from his concern that some memoirs contain details that are either difficult to verify or could stir unnecessary disputes, and he emphasized that some information is better left unshared.

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He stated, "Unless one wants to either create confusion in the society, create more enemies for the society or cause trouble, there are many things you come to know that you better die with".

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Oloyede expressed his respect for those who write their autobiographies, acknowledging that they know what to write and what to omit, but admitted that his own nature would lead him to reveal everything, which may not be desirable.

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Kudirat Abiola, the wife of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, became a leading figure in the struggle to actualise the June 12, 1993 presidential election after her husband's detention by the military regime of General Sani Abacha.

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She was assassinated on June 4, 1996, in Lagos, while campaigning for her husband's release and the restoration of democracy, and her death remains one of the most defining events of Nigeria's pro-democracy movement.