President Bola Tinubu publicly honored environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other members of the Ogoni Nine by conferring posthumous national awards on Wednesday.
This significant gesture comes nearly three decades after their execution under the military regime of General Sani Abacha.During a joint session of the National Assembly to commemorate Democracy Day 2025, President Tinubu acknowledged the contributions and sacrifices of these individuals.
He announced that he would also exercise his constitutional prerogative of mercy to grant a full presidential pardon to Ken Saro-Wiwa and his fellow Ogoni Nine, as well as other individuals whose names will be disclosed in coordination with the National Council of State.Concretely, the President conferred the following honors:- Ken Saro-Wiwa was posthumously awarded the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).- The other eight members—Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine—were awarded the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
In his remarks, President Tinubu stated, “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 the State.
The Ogoni Nine were executed on November 10, 1995, after being convicted by a military tribunal of complicity in the killing of four pro-government Ogoni chiefs during an intra-communal riot in Ogoniland in 1994.
Their trial and execution were widely condemned as politically motivated, sparking international outrage.
The incident led to sanctions against Nigeria from the Commonwealth, the United States, Canada, and several Western nations.Ken Saro-Wiwa, a renowned writer and environmental activist, founded the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People in 1990.
The organization was established to protest against environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in Ogoniland and to highlight the marginalization of the Ogoni people by both the oil companies operating in the region and the Nigerian government. This recognition by President Tinubu signifies a move towards acknowledging past injustices and honoring those who fought to protect their environment and community.
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