An investigative documentary examining the life, political struggle and death of Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola will make its world premiere at the 2026 edition of Sheffield DocFest in the United Kingdom on 12 June.

Titled MKO, the film is directed by Nigerian filmmaker and former journalist Ose Oyemandan and has been selected for the festival’s International Competition section.

According to the filmmakers, the documentary examines the annulment of the 12 June 1993 presidential election, the detention of Abiola, and the unresolved questions surrounding his death in custody in 1998.

Democracy Day premiere

The premiere coincides with Nigeria’s Democracy Day, which commemorates Abiola’s election victory before the military government annulled it.

PREMIUM TIMES previously reported on the significance of the June 12 election and how it later became recognised as Democracy Day. The election is widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history and remains a defining moment in the country’s democratic journey.

Abiola, a businessman, politician and publisher, was arrested in 1994 after declaring himself president following the annulment of the election. He remained in detention for four years before his death on 7 July 1998.

The documentary combines archival materials, interviews and investigative reporting to revisit one of the most consequential episodes in Nigeria’s political history.

Questions surrounding Abiola’s death

According to the producers, the film examines long-standing questions surrounding the circumstances of Abiola’s death during a meeting with a delegation of American diplomats led by former United States Undersecretary of State, Thomas Pickering.

The documentary revisits competing accounts of that day’s events and explores claims that have remained the subject of public debate for decades.

The filmmakers describe the project as an investigative documentary that combines journalism with elements of a political thriller.

Interviews

The film features interviews with several key figures connected to the June 12 struggle and its aftermath.

Those interviewed include former military president Ibrahim Babangida, former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar, former U.S. diplomat Thomas Pickering, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, members of the Abiola family, former diplomats and journalists who covered the political crisis.

The documentary also includes perspectives from human rights advocates and individuals who played various roles during Nigeria’s transition to civilian rule.

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Personal connection

Mr Oyemandan said his interest in the story stems from his experience as a young journalist working for publications owned by Abiola during the political crisis of the 1990s.

Following the annulment of the election and the clampdown on pro-democracy voices, he left Nigeria. He later worked with international human rights organisations, experiences that informed the development of the documentary.

Produced by Veronique Bernard, MKO is a co-production involving Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

The 108-minute documentary will have its world premiere at Sheffield DocFest on 12 June, the same day Nigeria commemorates Democracy Day in honour of Abiola’s annulled 1993 election victory.

The screening forms part of the festival’s International Competition section.

MKO Abiola Diaries to Show at Sheffield DocFest on Democracy Day

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