LAGOS—Radio Kudirat emerged in Nigeria during a brutal military dictatorship in the 1990s, operating as a clandestine project to give citizens a voice for pro-democracy messaging. Journalists, activists and engineers risked their lives to deliver news and calls for democratic rule.
The military government placed a $5 million bounty on those running the station. Despite the threat, broadcasts continued.
The station was named after Kudirat Abiola, wife of Moshood Abiola, who won the June 1993 presidential election. The military government imprisoned Moshood Abiola after he declared himself president. The arrest sparked widespread protests.
Kudirat Abiola became a vocal advocate for her husband's release and campaigned for international sanctions against the military regime. In June 1996, unknown gunmen killed her—a killing that illustrated the dangers faced by those challenging the dictatorship and intensified pro-democracy movements.
More than three decades later, Africa correspondent Ore Ogunbiyi is documenting the full account of Radio Kudirat by reuniting with individuals who established and maintained the station's broadcasts during the repressive era.
