Shortly after the June 12 conferment of a posthumous honour on the late activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and the other eight members who make up the Ogoni 9, the family of Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was brutally executed under the regime of Sani Abacha in 1995, urged President Bola Tinubu to take further action beyond the recent posthumous national
honours.
They have called for a judicial review of the controversial trial that resulted in the activists’ deaths.
Apparently, to commemorate the June 12 address, President Tinubu during his address in a joint session of the National Assembly, announced that he has granted a full state pardon and bestowed national honours on the slain activists, collectively known as the โOgoni 9โ.
His words:
“Furthermore, I also confer posthumous national honours on Ken Saro Wiwa (CON), the leader of the Ogoni Nine and his fellow travellers, Saturday Dobee (OON), Nordu Eawo (OON), Daniel Gbooko (OON), Paul Levera (OON), Felix Nuate (OON), Baribor Bera (OON), Barinem Kiobel (OON), and John Kpuine (OON),โ Tinubu said in the address.
โI shall also be exercising my powers under the prerogative of mercy to grant these national heroes a full pardon, together with others whose names shall be announced later in conjunction with the National Council of State.โ
The executions of the Ogoni 9 drew widespread international outrage and were a major factor in Nigeriaโs suspension from the Commonwealth at the time, underscoring the global impact of the incident and the ongoing call for justice.
However, the family of Kate Ken Saro-Wiwa would prefer an extra icing on the cake. In a statement released on Friday evening, and signed by the deceased’s daughter Noo Saro-Wiwa, late Ken Saro-Wiwa’s family acknowledged the announcement as a meaningful gesture but emphasized that true justice must extend beyond symbolic recognition.
Excerpt:
“The family of Ken Saro-Wiwa acknowledges President Bola Ahmed Tinubuโs presidential pardon and the conferment of national honours on Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbokoo, Paul Levura, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, John Kpuinen and Ledum Mitee.”
“We appreciate the conferment of Commander Order of the Niger (CON) on our Father and OON on the other eight Ogoni activists in recognition of their peaceful campaign for environmental justice, political and human rights in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.”
“We want to believe that the conferment of these national honours symbolises the innocence of these heroes and further reinforces the global view that the judgement given almost 30 years ago was flawed and their execution considered to be judicial murder.
“In fact, our father and his compatriots were innocent and peaceful activists who drew the attention of the world to the plight of the Ogoni people who suffered environmental devastation due to oil drilling by Shell.”
“While thanking President Bola Tinubu for doing the right thing, we further request a review of the judicial proceedings leading to the erroneous judgement, which occasioned such a colossal loss to our family, the Ogoni people and concerned Nigerians.”
“Such a review will heal all wounds and ensure that further miscarriages of justice are not continuously visited on persons protesting their fundamental rights as guaranteed in the Constitution. We believe that this review will lead to a complete exoneration of our heroes.”
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