TINUBU’S PARDON OF “OGONI NINE” SPARKS BACKLASH

In a symbolic gesture of reconciliation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has posthumously pardoned the Ogoni Nine, including the renowned environmental activist and author Ken Saro-Wiwa, who were executed under the Abacha military regime in 1995.

The “Ogoni Nine” were environmental and civil rights activists accused—under questionable legal proceedings—of inciting violence in their campaign against the environmental destruction caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta, particularly by Shell Petroleum.

While the pardon was meant to promote healing and unity, it was met with strong criticism from community leaders and human rights advocates. Many feel a pardon is not enough, as it suggests the men were guilty, when in fact they were denied fair trials. Groups like the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) are calling for full exoneration, a public apology, and direct actions to clean up and restore the polluted Ogoni environment.

Significance:

The pardon has reignited long-standing grievances over environmental degradation in the Niger Delta.

It has sparked new debates about historical justice and corporate accountability.

Many call for tangible reparations, not just symbolic actions.