Ken Saro-Wiwa family react to presidential pardon and national honours for di Ogoni Nine, tok wetin dem want

Family of late Ogoni environmental rights activist Ken Saro Wiwa say a review of di trial wey result to di execution of dia papa go heal all dia wounds and ensure say further miscarriage of justice no go continue wit pipo wey dey protest dia fundamental rights .

Daughter of late Ken Saro Wiwa, Noo Saro-Wiwa tok dis one for statement wey she release on Friday 13 June 2025.

Her statement dey come afta President Bola Tinubu for im Democracy Day speech, grant presidential pardon and national honours to di famous Ogoni Nine wey dem execute under di military rule of late General Sani Abacha for 1995.

She say di family of Ken Saro-Wiwa acknowledge President Tinubu presidential pardon and di national honours e confer 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 di conferment of Commander Order of di Niger (CON) on our papa and OON on di oda eight Ogoni activists in recognition of dia peaceful campaign for environmental justice, political and human rights in di Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

"We wan believe say di conferment of dis national honours dey symbolise di innocence of dis heroes and go further reinforce di global view say di judgement wey dey given almost 30 years ago dey flawed and dia execution dey considered to be judicial murder.

"In fact, our papa and im compatriots na innocent and peaceful activists wey draw di attention of di world to di plight of di Ogoni pipo wey suffer environmental devastation due to oil drilling by Shell," Noo tok.

Noo say while dem dey tank President Tinubu for doing di right tin, dem further request a review of di judicial proceedings wey lead to di erroneous judgement, wey bring dat kain big loss to dia family, di Ogoni pipo and concerned Nigerians.

"Such a review go heal all wounds and ensure say further miscarriages of justice no dey continuously visited on pesins wey dey protest dia fundamental rights as e dey guaranteed in di Constitution.

We believe say dis review go lead to a complete exoneration of our heroes," she tok.

'We want justice to clear dia names'

Meanwhile, Esther Kiobel wey be di wife of one of di Ogoni Nine, Barinem Kiobel say she tank President Tinubu say e don take di first step to give justice to di Ogoni Nine.

Kiobel say she don dey fight for justice for her husband for years and she believe say dis tin wey di President don do na a way forward.

She say she don dey fight for her husband to dey exonerated, and add say even though she know say e don take too long, justice go surely come to pass.

Madam Kiobel say she go like make di Nigerian goment retry dat case as dem as families of di Ogoni Nine go through a lot and survive by di grace of God.

"I dey alive becos na God dey keep me, and my husband spirit sef dey help to keep me to make sure say we get justice becos e no commit any crime. Dat tin na injustice but we need justice."

Kiobel widow say many nights she don shed tears for her bed wen she remember how most of di women die. She say plenti pipo die for dis cause and her husband life also bin dey cut short bifor im time. Madam Kiobel say justice to clear dia name na im dem want.

Who be di Ogoni Nine?

Ogoni Nine na group of nine environmental activists from di Ogoni region of Rivers State for southern Nigeria, wey oppose di operating practices of di Royal Dutch Shell oil corporation for di Niger Delta region.

Di military goment for Nigeria bin arrest and set up a special tribunal against dem for murders of four Ogoni chiefs - Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Samuel Orage and Theophilus Orage, wey dem kill for Gokana. R. Boele, Ogoni.

Social activist and head of di Movement for di Survival of di Ogoni People (MOSOP), Ken Saro-Wiwa, alongside eight of im fellow leaders - Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine—bin dey on trial under accuse say na dem incite di murder of di four Ogoni chiefs and na on 10 November 1995 di Nigerian goment execute dem by hanging for Port Harcourt Prison.

On June 12 2025 wey be Democracy Day, Nigeria President Bola Tinubu during a speech to a joint session of di National Assembly, grant presidential pardon on di Ogoni Nine and confer on dem posthumous national awards.

‘Dem dey pardon pesin wey dey innocent?’

Ogoni activist, Fegalo Nsuke say di act by di President na di first time any Nigerian president don acknowledge say a crime bin dey committed against di Ogoni Nine and so e praise di action of di President in giving dem such acknowledgement and granting dem a presidential pardon and national honours.

"President Tinubu make a bold step wey I tink suppose dey help us towards achieving a good healing process. Since 1995 wen dis executions take place, no Nigerian president don admit say wrongdoing bin happun. I must admit say yesterday (Thursday) President Tinubu don admit say dat na injustice and e go further to grant a state pardon."

Nsuke say while dem appreciate di goodwill of di president, a state pardon na somtin wey dem dey give pipo wey commit offence and from all available information, di Ogoni Nine dey innocent, and as such dem wonder wetin di state pardon dey for.

Nsuke say wetin dem dey ask for na say beyond giving national honours to di Ogoni Nine, dem go like make di federal goment commission enquiry into di trial process as dem insist say di decision to kill Ken Saro-Wiwa bin dey taken even bifor dem establish di tribunal.

"Dat tribunal bin dey established primarily to kill Ken Saro-Wiwa becos im challenge di system wey bin dey exploit di Ogoni pipo and oda parts of di Niger Delta at di time and so di goment decide to kill am and in dat process, eight odas kon fall victims.

Also, environmental rights defender Celestine Akpobari say pardon na for pesin wey commit offence.

"Wetin di Ogoni pipo and human rights community dey ask for na exoneration. So I bin dey expect Mr President to set up a judicial panel of enquiry to do a review of dat kangaroo trial wey sentence Ken to death. I bin dey expect say dat go happun and from dia dem go dey exonerated completely."