The family of the late environmentalist and writer, Ken Saro-Wiwa, has responded to the national honour conferred on him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
While expressing appreciation for the move, the family also emphasized that only full exoneration—not just a pardon—can begin to correct the historic injustice done to the slain activists.
On Thursday, June 12, during a joint session of the National Assembly to mark Democracy Day, President Tinubu awarded posthumous national honours to Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders executed by the Abacha regime in 1995. Saro-Wiwa was named a Commander of the Order of the Niger, while the others received the Officer of the Order of the Niger medal.
The other honourees were: Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine.
The president further announced his intention to grant a state pardon to these men, stating, “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 response, Saro-Wiwa’s family, in a statement signed by his daughter Noo Saro-Wiwa, welcomed the honours, saying they “symbolise the innocence of these heroes” and reinforce the widely held belief that the convictions were fundamentally flawed and amounted to “judicial murder.”
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The family expressed gratitude to the president but stressed that a formal review of the original judicial proceedings is necessary. “Such a review will heal all wounds and… lead to a complete exoneration of our heroes,” Noo stated.
She described her father and the others as “innocent and peaceful activists” who brought global attention to the environmental destruction of Ogoniland by oil multinationals, particularly Shell.
Meanwhile, prominent environmentalist Nnimmo Bassey offered a contrasting reaction. While acknowledging the activists deserve to be honoured, he criticized the timing of the move. “It is ill-timed,” Bassey told PREMIUM TIMES, arguing that the government is simultaneously ramping up oil production while environmental degradation remains unresolved.
He further emphasized that a pardon is inadequate. “A mere pardon at this time appears to be aimed at reopening the oil wells in Ogoniland — a step that would mean dancing on the graves of the murdered leaders,” Bassey said. He reiterated the long-standing demand of activists: full exoneration and a state apology.
The execution of the Ogoni Nine in 1995, following what many called a sham trial, drew global condemnation. Saro-Wiwa and his colleagues had been accused of involvement in the murder of four pro-government Ogoni chiefs, a charge widely believed to have been fabricated to silence their campaign against environmental injustice.
Despite previous attempts—such as one under former President Buhari in 2021—to pardon the activists, their families and civil society groups have consistently rejected anything short of exoneration.
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