Tinubu honours Saro-Wiwa, other Ogoni leaders executed by Abacha

President Bola Tinubu has conferred national honours on Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders, who were executed in 1995 by the Sani Abacha-led military administration over their struggle for environmental justice for their oil-rich community in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region.

Mr Tinubu disclosed this on Thursday, 12 June, during his address at the joint session of the National Assembly to mark Nigeria’s 2025 Democracy Day. He hinted that his administration would give state pardon to the late Ogoni leaders.

“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).

“I 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,” the president stated in his address.

Pardon rejected four years ago

In 2021, the Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation rejected the idea of a state pardon for Mr Saro-Wiwa and others when then-President Muhammadu Buhari suggested it.

“Ken Saro-Wiwa and the other eight Ogonis were not criminals. They were innocent activists unjustly murdered for fighting for a just cause on behalf of their oppressed community,” the foundation said in a statement issued in response to a remark by President Buhari.

The statement, signed by Owens Wiwa, a younger brother of the late Mr Saro-Wiwa, on behalf of the board of directors of the foundation, said neither the foundation nor Mr Saro-Wiwa’s family had authorised any individual to ask for pardon or clemency for the late environmentalist and playwright.

The foundation said they were not aware of any group of Ogonis making such a request.

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“The path to true peace in the region begins with justice. The cleaning up of the environment for which they campaigned and died for, is a first good step.

“The exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists, judicially murdered on November 10, 1995, is another step towards peace.

“The family of Ken Saro-Wiwa have made a request for the exoneration of Saro-Wiwa to the President in the past and are still waiting for a response. We urge the President to again consider this request as a path to justice and peace,” the statement said.

Accused of being responsible for the murder of four Ogoni chiefs at a pro-government meeting, Mr Saro-Wiwa and the others were sentenced to death by hanging by a special military tribunal.

Several Nigerians believe Mr Saro-wiwa and the others were framed up for the murder because of their very impactful non-violent campaign against oil extraction and the continuous degradation of the Ogoni land by the government-backed multi-national oil companies, especially the Royal Dutch Shell.

READ ALSO: June 12: President Tinubu to confer national honours on select legislators

Other Nigerians honoured by Tinubu

The president also conferred posthumous national honours on several other Nigerians for their contribution to the country’s democracy, including Kudirat Abiola (CFR), the slain wife of the winner of the 12 June 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola.

She was assassinated on 4 June 1996 in Lagos, apparently because of her relentless campaign for the actualisation of her husband’s mandate – Mr Abiola, detained by the Nigerian government, later died in detention.

Wole Soyinka (GCON), a renowned playwright, and Dapo Olorunyomi (OON), the publisher of PREMIUM TIMES, are among the living heroes of the Nigerian struggle honoured by President Tinubu.