Twenty seven years after Ken Saro-Wiwa, a Nigerian known for his activisism for environmental justice was murdered alongside eight other Ogoni leaders by the authorities of Nigeria, some Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, across the African continent have chosen date of his murder -November 10, to celebrate him and other environmental activists that were murdered. This is because even after their departure, their spirit lives on and the struggle they
led continues to inspire the resistance to ecological crimes by
extractive companies in Nigeria and around the world.
Saro-Wiwa, during his live time was quoted to have said: “We are going to demand our rights peacefully, non violently and we shall win. I tell you this, I may be dead but my ideas will not die,” and this was exactly the approach he adopted to fight for environmental justice, yet he was murdered by the Sanni Abach’s dictatorship regime on November 10, 1995.
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The death of the Ogoni leaders followed a brutal crackdown by the
Nigerian government on peaceful demonstrators who were frustrated by the destruction of their land and livelihoods. Ken Saro-Wiwa was executed along with the eight Ogoni leaders: Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel and John Kpuine.
Twenty-seven years later, despite witnesses accepting they had been
bribed to testify falsely against the activists, justice has still not
been served.
Today, Oilwatch groups including Health of Mother Earth Foundation
(HOMEF), Earthlife Johannesburg, CAPPA, Kabetkache Women Development Centre, Centre for Environmental Justice (Togo) remembers the Ogoni 9 and other martyrs of extractivism across the world and pledge they their defence of the planet are the heroic climate action the world should
adopt.
Celebrating the departed environmental activists, Nnimmo Bassey, an environmental activist and the Director Health of
Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) said: “Today as we remember Ken Saro-Wiwa and the eight Ogoni leaders who were wrongfully executed by the Nigerian state on November 10 1995, we also call to mind the several earth and human rights defenders who have been martyred across the world
by, or for, fossil fuel and mining corporations.
“Blood has flowed, our
lands have been polluted, and the world is heating. We demand justice for our heroes, a halt to dependence on fossil fuels — the real climate action— and a restoration of all polluted lands and reparation for
ecocide.”
Also celebrating the departed activists,Makoma Lakelakala of Earthlife Johanesburg said: “As the World discusses the deteriorating climate concerns at the ongoing COP27, the need to shift away from dirty energy has never been more urgent.
“In honour of climate protectors whose lives were brutally cut short the UNFCCC needs to have a clause in the negotiated climate convention that ensures protection of those upholding the rights of nature, planet and people.
On his part, Celestine Akpobari, Team Leader at Peoples Advancement Centre, Nigeria, shared that “On this occasion, we want to remind the world that the
situation of things in Ogoni and are far worse than they were in the
days of Ken Saro-Wiwa. It has been said during this climate change
conference that the world is on a speed lane to climate Hell, but I want to say that Ogoni people have been there all these years.”
Akpobari further stated that “the planned forceful resumption of oil
operations in Ogoniland should be halted as it is capable of provoking
conflict. We also resist the new scramble for African oil and gas.”
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Emem Okon, Director Kabetkache Women Development and Resource Centre in Nigeria noted that “As we remember Ken Saro-Wiwa and other martyrs today, we pledge to carry on with their messages, and insist that all polluted areas be cleaned up and polluters held accountable for their
ecological crimes in communities across the world..”
The CSOs therefore demand justice and exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and all martyrs of extractivism.
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