Ken Saro-Wiwa a Nigerian author, television producer, political and environmental activist, was born in Bori, Ogoniland, in the Niger Delta. Saro-Wiwa, a member of the Ogoni people, led a non-violent campaign against environmental degradation of Ogoniland by multinational oil companies, particularly Shell.
Oganiland has suffered irreversible damage because of crude oil extraction and indiscriminate waste dumping since the 1950s.
Saro-Wiwa’s political activism on behalf of his people intensified when he became President, of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP). He became an outspoken critic of the Nigerian government, who he viewed as complicit in the destruction of Ogoniland by their failure to enforce regulations on foreign companies operating in the area.
Saro-Wiwa was detained on several occasions because of his campaigning against environmental damage by oil companies and for fairness and justice for the Ogoni people. In 1994 he was arrested by the military government of General Sani Abacha on trumped up murder charges. He was brought before a special military tribunal, convicted and executed by hanging on 10th November 1995, along with eight other MOSOP leaders – Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine.
There was worldwide outrage at the executions of the “Ogoni Nine.” As a consequence, Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations (ex British colonies) from more than three years and economic sanctions were imposed by some countries.
The family of Saro-Wiwa brought a case against Shell which was settled in June 2009 for $15.5m, days before the trial was due to start in New York, the United States. Shell of course did not admit any liability for the deaths of the Ogoni Nine, and many revealing testimonies were never heard in court, though witnesses who had testified against the Ogoni Nine were prepared to give evidence that they had been bribed with money and offers of jobs with Shell. Meanwhile, Shell continues to operate in Nigeria, extracting oil at the expense of local people, destroying their environment.
by Amma Fosuah Poku
Source: OgoniNews
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