THE OGONI EQUATION: Remembering Ken Saro-Wiwa

By Simon Mol

‘In today’s world only the powerful can pride themselves of a place called home. You can’t even say ‘Our World’ as there are those who own it, including you!’

Civilisation had indeed come a long way. Merely five years from the new millennium when the world was priding itself of great democratic achievements, the struggle for socio-political, economic and environmental justice was dealt a terminal blow when the Nigerian activist and writer Ken Saro-wiwa and eight others; BARIBOR BERA, SATURDAY DOBEE, NORDU EAWO, DANIEL GBOKOO, BARINEM KIOBEL, JOHN KPUINEN, PAUL LEVURA and FELIX NUATE, were hanged in broad daylight for lifting the voice of the Ogoni people of the Delta State of Nigeria. It was on the chilly morning of November 10, 1995. The world is still to come to terms with the ghastly act, which was perpetrated by a horde of self-declared Statesmen