Ken Saro-Wiwa: 25 years later Ogoni pipo still dey wait for justice

Remembrance of Ken Saro-Wiwa

BBC

E don reach 25 years since military goment of Gen. Sani Abacha execute di Ogoni 9 ontop accuse of di murder of four Ogoni chiefs for 10 November, 1995.

Di Ogoni 9 oda pipo dem kill along with Ken Saro-Wiwa na Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine.

Dis one happen during di peak of Ken Saro-Wiwa campaign for environmental rights and social justice for Ogoni land becos of di pollution di pipo dey suffer sake of crude oil exploration activities.

Di agitation wey rise becos of im execution na im bring about di UNEP report wey recommend di Ogoni clean up but 25 years later, wetin don happen?

Ogoni pipo still dey wait for justice

President General Ogoni Youth Federation, Legborsi Yamaabana tell BBC Pidgin say, “Ogoni pipo still dey wait for justice 25 years since dem murder our hero and model. We never actualize wetin im bin stand for. Di only tin we for gain na dis Ogoni clean up wey don already dey bastardised and Nigerianised, but Ken Saro-Wiwa demand for environmental justice, im demand for social justice and economic justice for Ogoni pipo.”

Yamaabana say on di area of environmental justice, di Ogoni clean up for don cool dia pain small and make dem celebrate say at least dem don get one of di three cardinal tins Saro-Wiwa fight for, but say di managers of di cleanup dey hide under di Nigerian goment dey cheat dem and dat one dey pain Ogoni pipo more as dem no dey follow di recommendations wey di United Nations Environment Programme UNEP give as e concern di ogoni clean up exercise.

Yamaabana add say if say dem follow di UNEP report, e for also don take care of di economic and social justice aspect to provide jobs for di pipo, but as e be now, jobs no dey and dat one dey pose security challenge for di pipo.

“On dis 25th anniversary of im death, we want make Federal Goment clear Ken Saro-Wiwa name of di murder accuse as im no do am. We also want make di Goment give am national honour and posthumous awards as dem do for MKO Abiola in di interest of national healing and reconciliation and for di Nigerian Customs to release di burst artwork wey one environment activist group send to us during di 20 years anniversary,” im tok

Ken Saro-Wiwa

BBC

’25 years from now, we wish to see a clean Ogoni land’

25 years from now, di expectations na for di Ogoni cleanup exercise to actually work.

Former MOSOP President Ledum Mitee say dis one dey important becos di Ogoni cleanup dey set di template for di cleanup of oda polluted areas for di Niger Delta so no be only Ogoniland Saro-Wiwa fight for and e dey sad say 25 years later, “no clean up dey go on, instead na cover up dem dey do.”

For di Ogoni Youth President General, im for like to see Ogoni land wey dey free from external battles as e get some pipo wey dey always come cause violence for dia.

Yamaabana say, im for like to see say Ogoni pipo dey control dia resources as di Ogoni bill of rights state, as dis na di document Ken Saro-Wiwa give di Nigerian State wey capture all dia demands, including resource control.

“I go like see di Ogoni land we bin get before wia fishermen fit go catch fish wey no dey polluted, wia farmers fit plant crops and get better harvest and not Ogoni wey dey as polluted as e dey today.”