Twenty-five years after the execution of renowned Nigerian environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, his daughter Noo Saro-Wiwa has called on the Nigerian government to grant her father a posthumous pardon.
Nigeria’s then-military regime sparked global outrage after it convicted Mr Saro-Wiwa and eight other people of murder and hanged them. Their widows are suing oil giant Shell, alleging it was complicit.
Noo Saro-Wiwa has tweeted that the Nigerian government “cannot call itself civilised or claim moral responsibility while it refuses to exonerate” her father and his colleagues, who became known as the Ogoni Nine.
“Black lives will matter outside Africa only when they matter in Africa itself,” she said.
In 2015 the Nigerian Human Rights Commission said Ken Saro-Wiwa’s trial was “deeply flawed”, and he should be pardoned. Their recommendations are however yet to be implemented.
Mr Saro-Wiwa led mass protests against oil pollution in Nigeria’s Ogoniland which were seen as a major threat to then-military ruler General Sani Abacha, and oil company Shell.
By Abel Ejikeme
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