Ogonis commemorate death of Saro-Wiwa, other martyrs
Ogoni people in the four local government areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme in Rivers state have commemorated their martyrs who were executed by the late Gen. Sani Abacha administration 24 years ago.
The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), the umbrella body formed by late author and environmental rights activist, Ken Saro -Wiwa organized the 24th annual lecture over the weekend to mark the death of the martyrs.
The lecture, which was held at the Atrium Event Centre in Port Harcourt, was followed by a candle light procession in the evening and a church service at Bori, the traditional headquarters of the Ogoni people on November 10, the day Ken Saro Wiwa and his eight other colleagues were sent to the guillotine.
In his opening remarks at the lecture, MOSOP President, Legborsi Pyagbara said that the peace and reconciliation of the Ogoni people with the Nigerian state will be incomplete unless the federal government clears the names of their heroes.
“We’ll continue to highlight the need for the Nigerian government to right the wrongs committed against the Ogoni heroes. Today, we want to emphasise that the process of national healing and reconciliation in Nigeria will not be complete until the Nigerian government clears the names of the Ogoni nine.
“We’re telling the Nigerian government that whatever thing they’re doing in the name of peace and reconciliation, that it won’t be complete until Nigeria looses the weight of the Ogoni people. Within the period of 1993 to 1999, Nigeria was confronted with two major issues, the issue of democratic election and the Ogoni crisis.
“Today, we can confidently say that Nigeria has reconciled the Yoruba nation which was the biggest victim in the cancellation of June 12. In 1999, they produced a president as a way of reconciling the Yoruba people.
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“Just last year, the winner of the June 12 election was pardoned by the Nigerian government and given the highest honour in the land.
The issue is where is the fate of the Ogoni people? That’s why we’re reminding the Nigerian state that until they clear the names of the Ogoni nine, Nigeria will not know peace,” he asserted.
Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Ben Naanen, had earlier remarked that the Ogoni struggle launched 26 years ago is characterised by blood and that the Ogoni people lost a generation which is yet to be replaced.
Prof. Samuel Egwu of the University of Jos, who spoke on the paper titled: “Environmentalism, UNEP report on Ogoniland and the triumph of people power,” advised other ethnic nationalities in the country to emulate the resilience of the Ogoni people.
