Ken Saro-Wiwa, the leader of environmental resistance in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta, and his eight fellow campaigners, known as the Ogoni Nine, were posthumously pardoned three decades after his death caused international outcry. On Democracy Day, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu pardoned the nine, calling them “heroes who made outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s democracy.” In addition, the guys received national honours for the first time since they passed away. The then-military government put Saro-Wiwa and the others to death in 1995 after they were charged with participating in the killings of four Ogoni chiefs. Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth as a result of the widespread condemnation of their executions as extrajudicial.
A legacy steeped in protest and pain
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), led by well-known novelist and environmentalist Saro-Wiwa, organised communities against Shell and other oil firms for their pollution of Ogoniland. His nonviolent protests were met with a fast and violent response from the authorities. Despite international petitions and concerns about the trial’s fairness, a secret military tribunal found the Ogoni Nine guilty. Barinem Kiobel, John Kpuinen, Baribor Bera, Felix Nuate, Paul Levula, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, and Daniel Gbokoo were among the other men who were put to death.
Pardon welcomed but seen as inadequate
Although Tinubu’s action has been praised by many, some argue that the men should have been completely exonerated and that a pardon implies guilt. Saro-Wiwa’s former leadership of MOSOP referred to the pardon as a “courageous act,” but maintained that “no crime ever took place.” The widow of Barinem Kiobel expressed her gratitude to media for the national honour but requested Tinubu to “properly declare [them] innocent.” The clemency “falls far short of the justice the Ogoni Nine need,” according to Amnesty International, which was direct. The rights organisation reaffirmed demands for compensation to the impacted communities and responsibility from the oil firms doing business in the area.
Shell still on trial for legacy of pollution
Shell has been accused of involvement in the oppression of the Ogoni people and environmental damage in the Niger Delta for many years. The business has continuously denied any wrongdoing, attributing leaks to illegal refining, sabotage, and oil theft. In 2021, Shell was ordered by a Dutch court to compensate Nigerian farmers for pollution damages of over $100 million. Additionally, two Ogoniland villages filed a complaint in London’s High Court earlier this year, claiming Shell is accountable for pollution that occurred between 1989 and 2020. The entire trial will take place in 2026. Shell is still denying any responsibility.
Beyond clemency: a call for justice
Even if the pardon ends a political chapter, many people in Ogoniland and around Nigeria still feel hurt and want justice. Protesters want immediate environmental cleanup, compensation for victims, and the complete expungement of the Ogoni Nine’s names. According to one MOSOP member, “the world remembers Ken Saro-Wiwa not just because of how he died, but because of what he stood for.” The battle is far from done.
