Tinubu's Mom Reportedly Removed Her Headscarf In Public While Pleading With Babangida

Tinubu's Mom Reportedly Removed Her Headscarf In Public While Pleading With Babangida

Jamiu Abiola, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Linguistics and Foreign Matters, has revealed a dramatic moment involving Tinubu’s late mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, during the heat of the June 12, 1993 political crisis.

Speaking in an interview covered by The Punch on June 28, 2025, Jamiu recounted how Mogaji, a respected market leader and political figure, made a rare public gesture in an emotional plea to former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida.

According to Abiola, Mogaji removed her headscarf in public a significant act of desperation and cultural weight in a bid to persuade Babangida not to annul the June 12 presidential election widely believed to have been won by his father, Chief MKO Abiola.

“In Yoruba culture, for a woman of her stature to take off her headscarf in public is a powerful sign of grief and appeal,” Jamiu explained, highlighting the depth of her commitment to the democratic cause.

He further stated that Tinubu himself was among the few who showed unwavering support for MKO Abiola during the crisis, despite the risks.

Jamiu’s account sheds new light on the personal sacrifices made by individuals close to the pro-democracy movement. It also reaffirms the long-standing alliance between the Tinubu and Abiola families, rooted in shared ideals and political struggle.