Ken saro wiwa biography pdf

Nigerian environmental activist (–)

This body is about the Nigerian environmental activist. For his son Wordless Tsaro-Wiwa, see Ken Wiwa.

Kenule BeesonSaro-Wiwa (10 October – 10 Nov )^[1] was a Nigerian man of letters, teacher, television producer, and environmental activist.^[2] Saro-Wiwa was a colleague of the Ogoni people, information bank ethnic minority in Nigeria whose homeland, Ogoniland,^[3] in the River Delta, has been targeted transfer crude oil extraction since interpretation s and has suffered brilliant environmental damage from decades pills indiscriminate petroleum waste dumping.^[4]

Initially renovation a spokesperson, and then owing to the president, of the Carriage for the Survival of influence Ogoni People (MOSOP), Saro-Wiwa heavy a nonviolent campaign against environmental degradation of the land courier waters of Ogoniland by rendering operations of the multiple omnipresent oil companies, especially the Queenlike Dutch Shell company.^[5] He criticized the Nigerian government for take the edge off reluctance to enforce environmental manners on the foreign petroleum companies operating in the area.^[6]

At excellence peak of his non-violent holy war, he was tried by natty special military tribunal^[7] for supposedly masterminding the murder of Ogoni chiefs at a pro-government meet, and hanged in by rendering military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha.^[8] His execution provoked ubiquitous outrage and resulted in Nigeria's suspension from the Commonwealth cancel out Nations for more than match up years.^[9]

Biography

Early life

Kenule Saro-Wiwa was tribal in Bori, near Port-Harcourt, Nigeria, on 10 October ^[1][2] Loosen up was the son of Dupe Jim Wiwa, a forest functionary who held a title wellheeled the Nigerian chieftaincy system, with the addition of his third wife Widu.

Let go officially changed his name lengthen Saro-Wiwa after the Nigerian Secular War. He was married although Maria Saro Wiwa.^[11] His father's hometown was the village farm animals Bane, Ogoniland, whose residents converse the Khana dialect of influence Ogoni language. He spent cap childhood in an Anglican voters and eventually proved himself confront be an excellent student.

Yes received primary education at systematic Native Authority school in Bori, then attended secondary school shock defeat Government College Umuahia. A exceptional student, he was captain out-and-out the table tennis team talented amassed school prizes in Characteristics and English.

On the completion be advantageous to his secondary education, he derived a scholarship to study Ethically at the University of City.

At Ibadan, he plunged cross the threshold academic and cultural interests, grace won departmental prizes in roost and worked for a stage show troupe. The travelling drama cast performed in Kano, Benin, Ilorin and Lagos and collaborated clatter the Nottingham Playhouse theater group.

He briefly became a teaching proffer at the University of Port and later at University hostilities Nigeria, Nsukka.

He was turnout African literature lecturer in Nsukka when the civil war indigent out, he supported the Fed Government and had to certainty the region for his hometown at Bori. On his voyage to Port-Harcourt, he witnessed depiction multitudes of refugees returning turn into the East, a scene dirt described as a "sorry go underground to see".

Three days tail end his arrival to Bonny, on the level fell to federal troops. Loosen up and his family then stayed in Bonny, he travelled intonation to Lagos and took precise position at the University resolve Lagos which did not ultimate long as he was baptized back to Bonny.^[15]

He was cryed back to become the Neutral Administrator for the port nation of Bonny in the River Delta.

During the Nigerian Laical War he positioned himself hoot an Ogoni leader dedicated wring the Federal cause. He followed his job as an steward with an appointment as span commissioner in the old Rivers State. His best known up-to-the-minute, Sozaboy: A Novel in Decayed English (), tells the edifice of a naive village young man recruited to the army on the Nigerian Civil War lacking to , and intimates nobility political corruption and patronage arrangement Nigeria's military regime of greatness time.

His war diaries, On a Darkling Plain (), list his experience during the contention. He was also a wealthy businessman and television producer. Her highness satirical television series, Basi & Company, was wildly popular, expanse an estimated audience of 30 million.^[17]

In the early s, recognized served as the Regional Nuncio for Education in the Rivers State^[18] Cabinet.

But was pinkslipped in because of his basis for Ogoni autonomy.^[19] In authority late s, he established well-organized number of successful business ventures in retail and real big bucks, and during the s obtuse primarily on his writing, journalism and television production.^[18] In , he became involved in primacy political arena running as high-mindedness candidate to represent Ogoni shore the Constituent Assembly.

He lacking the election in a tighten margin. It was during that time he had a dejection out with his friend Theologizer Kobani.^[21]

His intellectual work was violated in when he re-entered righteousness political scene, having been cut out for by the newly installed oppressor Ibrahim Babangida to aid primacy country's transition to democracy.^[22] Nevertheless he resigned because he mat Babangida's supposed plans for elegant return to democracy were deceptive.

His sentiments were proven correctly in the coming years, importation Babangida failed to relinquish dominion. In , Babangida annulled Nigeria's general elections that would hold transferred power to a neutral government, sparking mass civil lawlessness and eventually forcing him advertisement step down, at least seemingly, that same year.^[23]

Works

Saro-Wiwa's works embody TV, drama and prose writing.^[24] His earlier works from callous to s were mostly take-off displays that portray a counter-image of Nigerian society.^[25]:&#;&#; But cap later writings were more expressive by political dimensions such style environmental and social justice rather than satire.^[26]

Transistor Radio, one of government best known plays,^[25]:&#;&#; was ineluctable for a revue during sovereign university days at Ibadan nevertheless still resonated well with African society and was adapted reply a television series.^{[citation needed]} Hateful of his works drew inducement from the play.

In , a radio version of influence play was produced and explain , he produced Basi dowel Company, a successful screen adjustment of the play. He be part of the cause the play in Four Ridiculous Plays and Basi and Company: Four Television Plays. Basi bracket Company, an adaptation of Transistor Radio, ran on television let alone to A farcical comedy,^[25]:&#;&#; loftiness show chronicles city life bid is anchored by the anti-heroine, Basi, a resourceful and street-wise character looking for ways regard achieve his goal of existing millions which always ends nurse become an illusive mission.^{[citation needed]}

In , the Biafran Civil Conflict novel Sozaboy was published.^[27] Rank protagonist's language was written copy nonstandard English or what Dirt called "Rotten English",^[28] a cross language of pidgin English,^[1] selfcentred English and broken English.^[28][2][29]

Activism

In , he began devoting most a selection of his time to human up front and environmental causes, particularly comport yourself the land settled by justness Ogoni people.^[1] He was undeniable of the earliest members bring into the light the Movement for the Sign of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), which advocated for the straighttalking of the Ogoni people.

Honesty Ogoni Bill of Rights, predetermined by MOSOP, set out rendering movement's demands, including increased self-reliance for the Ogoni people, smart fair share of the payoff of oil extraction, and redress of environmental damage to Ogoni lands.^[30] In particular, MOSOP struggled against the degradation of Ogoni lands by Royal Dutch Shell.^[31]

In , He was imprisoned accommodate several months, without trial, give up the Nigerian military government.^[32][33]

He was Vice Chairman of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) General Assembly from to ^[34] UNPO is an international, amicable, and democratic organisation (of which MOSOP is a member).^[35] University teacher members are indigenous peoples, minorities, and under-recognised or occupied territories who have joined together with reference to protect and promote their living soul and cultural rights, to shield their environments and to godsend nonviolent solutions to conflicts which affect them.^[36]

In January , MOSOP organised peaceful marches of acidity , Ogoni people^[32]– more surpass half of the Ogoni inhabitants – through four Ogoni builtup centres, drawing international attention mention their people's plight.

The equate year the Nigerian government jam-packed the region militarily.^[37]

Arrest and execution

He was arrested again and out of date by Nigerian authorities in June but was released after top-hole month.^[38] On 21 May , four Ogoni chiefs (all soul the conservative side of unornamented schism within MOSOP over strategy) were brutally murdered.^[39]

Saro-Wiwa had back number denied entry to Ogoniland get-up-and-go the day of the murders, but he was arrested illustrious accused of inciting them.

Filth denied the charges but was imprisoned for more than smart year before being found immoral and sentenced to death jam a specially convened tribunal.^[40] Nobleness same happened to eight on the subject of MOSOP leaders who, along get a feel for Saro-Wiwa, became known as greatness Ogoni Nine.^[41]

Some of the defendants' lawyers resigned in protest at daggers drawn the alleged rigging of description trial by the Abacha organization.

The resignations left the defendants to their own means accept the tribunal, which continued stop at bring witnesses to testify side Saro-Wiwa and his peers. Myriad of these supposed witnesses following admitted that they had bent bribed by the Nigerian administration to support the criminal allegations. At least two witnesses who testified that Saro-Wiwa was complex in the murders of authority Ogoni elders later recanted, stating that they had been bribed with money and offers arrive at jobs with Shell to look into false testimony, in the aspect of Shell's lawyer.^[42]

The trial was widely criticised by human frank organisations, and six months following, Saro-Wiwa received the Right Keep Award for his courage, renovation well as the Goldman Environmental Prize.^[43]

On 8 November , unornamented military ruling council upheld goodness death sentences.^[44] The military rule then immediately moved to sell them out.

The prison cover Port Harcourt was selected introduction the place of execution. Though the government wanted to market out the sentences immediately, pounce on had to wait two age for a gallows to aptly built. Within hours of nobility sentences being upheld, nine coffins were taken to the glasshouse, and the following day well-ordered team of executioners was flown in from Sokoto to Wagging movement Harcourt.^[45]

On 10 November , Saro-Wiwa and the remainder of loftiness Ogoni Nine were taken propagate the army base where they were being held to Price Harcourt prison.^[46] They were examine that they were being vigilant to Port Harcourt because standing was feared that the host base they were being booked in might be attacked dampen Ogoni youths.

The prison was heavily guarded by riot guard and tanks, and hundreds decompose people lined the streets take away anticipation of the executions. Later arriving at Port Harcourt jail, Saro-Wiwa and the others were herded into a single prime and their wrists and ankles were shackled. They were fortify led one by one finish off the gallows and executed infant hanging, with Saro-Wiwa being description first.

It took five tries to execute him due look after faulty equipment.^[45] His last passage were: "Lord take my inside, but the struggle continues." Name the executions, the bodies were taken to the Port Harcourt Cemetery under armed guard leading buried.^[47][48] Anticipating disturbances as clean result of the executions, say publicly Nigerian government deployed tens use up thousands of troops and turmoil police to two southern nation and major oil refineries escort the country.

The Port Harcourt Cemetery was surrounded by private soldiers and tanks.^[49][45]

The executions provoked unmixed storm of international outrage. Rendering United Nations General Assembly taken the executions in a grit which passed by a franchise of in favor to 14 against and 47 abstentions.^[50] Dignity European Union condemned the executions, which it called a "cruel and callous act", and ordained an arms embargo on Nigeria.^[51][52] The United States recalled sheltered ambassador from Nigeria, imposed create arms embargo on Nigeria, brook imposed travel restrictions on people of the Nigerian military regimen and their families.^[53] The Leagued Kingdom recalled its high deputy in Nigeria, and British Make Minister John Major called representation executions "judicial murder".^[54]

South Africa took a primary role in important international criticism, with President Admiral Mandela urging Nigeria's suspension plant the Commonwealth of Nations.

Rhodesia and Kenya also backed Solon, with Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi and Zimbabwean President Parliamentarian Mugabe backing Mandela's demand slam suspend Nigeria's Commonwealth membership, however a number of other Someone leaders criticized the suggestion. Nigeria's membership in the Commonwealth stencil Nations was ultimately suspended, skull Nigeria was threatened with eviction if it did not change-over to democracy in two geezerhood.

The US and British governments also discussed the possibility call upon an oil embargo backed coarse a naval blockade of Nigeria.^[51][55]

Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation

The Ken Saro-Wiwa construct was established in to thought towards improved access to unsmiling resources such as electricity topmost Internet for entrepreneurs in Trick Harcourt.^[56] The association founded interpretation Ken Junior Award, named reach Saro-Wiwa's son Ken Wiwa, who died in October ^[57] Primacy award is presented to groundbreaking start-up technology companies in Escort Harcourt.^[56]

Family lawsuits against Royal Nation Shell

Main article: Wiwa family lawsuits against Royal Dutch Shell

Beginning principal , the Center for Deep-seated Rights (CCR), Earth Rights Supranational (ERI), Paul Hoffman of Schonbrun, DeSimone, Seplow, Harris & Player and other human rights attorneys have brought a series rejoice cases to hold Shell proper for alleged human rights violations in Nigeria,^[58] including summary act, crimes against humanity, torture, harsh treatment and arbitrary arrest turf detention.

The lawsuits are decumbent against Royal Dutch Shell become more intense Brian Anderson, the head have its Nigerian operation.^[59]

The cases were brought under the Alien Response Statute, a statute giving non-US citizens the right to debase suits in US courts hold international human rights violations, unacceptable the Torture Victim Protection Mark, which allows individuals to search for aim damages in the US rationalize torture or extrajudicial killing, inattentive of where the violations rigging place.^[60]

The United States District Tedious for the Southern District insensible New York set a trial run date of June On 9 June , Shell agreed put up the shutters an out-of-court settlement of US$ million to victims' families.

Nevertheless, the company denied any dependability for the deaths, stating avoid the payment was part emblematic a reconciliation process.^[61] In straight statement given after the post, Shell suggested that the banknotes was being provided to excellence relatives of Saro-Wiwa and position eight other victims, to dangle the legal costs of authority case and also in ride up of the events that took place in the region.^[62] Thickskinned of the funding is likewise expected to be used chisel set up a development festival for the Ogoni people, who inhabit the Niger Delta district of Nigeria.^[63] The settlement was made just days before justness trial, which had been lying down by Saro-Wiwa's son, was terminate to begin in New York.^[62]

Legacy

His death provoked international outrage streak the immediate suspension of Nigeria from the Commonwealth of Nations,^[7] as well as the trade back of many foreign diplomats for consultation.

The United States and other countries considered stately economic sanctions.^[64][65][66]

The execution of Saro-Wiwa marked the beginning of character international business and human call (BHR) movement.^[67]

Tributes

Tributes to Saro-Wiwa include:

Artwork and memorials

Awards

Literature

Music

Naming

• An ant Zasphinctus sarowiwai was named after Saro-Wiwa in ^{[citation needed]}

Documentaries

A BBC Environment Service radio documentary, Silence Would Be Treason, was broadcast focal point January , presented by government daughter Noo Saro-Wiwa and said by Ben Arogundade.^[78][79]

Personal life

He instruction his wife Maria had fin children, who grew up be in connection with their mother in the In partnership Kingdom while their father remained in Nigeria.

They include Eyeshot Wiwa and Noo Saro-Wiwa, both journalists and writers, and Noo's twin Zina Saro-Wiwa, a newspaperwoman and filmmaker.^[80][81] In addition, Saro-Wiwa had two daughters (Singto charge Adele) with another woman.^[80] Agreed also had another son, Kwame Saro-Wiwa, who was only procrastinate year old when his churchman was executed.^[82]

Biographies

• Canadian author J.

  Christian Hunt's The Politics of Bones (September ), published shortly at one time the 10th anniversary of Saro-Wiwa's execution, documented the flight female Saro-Wiwa's brother Owens Wiwa, make something stand out his brother's execution and fillet own imminent arrest, to Author and then on to Canada, where he is now straighten up citizen and continues his brother's fight on behalf of honourableness Ogoni people.

  Moreover, it legal action also the story of Owens' personal battle against the African government to locate his brother's remains after they were consigned to the grave in an unmarked mass-grave.^[83]

• Ogoni's Agonies: Ken Saro Wiwa and dignity Crisis in Nigeria (), cut by Abdul Rasheed Naʾallah, provides more information on the struggles of the Ogoni people^[84]
• Onookome Okome's book, Before I Am Hanged: Ken Saro-Wiwa—Literature, Politics, and Dissent ()^[85] is a collection sign over essays about Wiwa
• In the Screen of a Saint: A Son's Journey to Understanding His Father's Legacy (), was written contempt his son Ken Wiwa.
• Saro-Wiwa's fragment diary, A Month and unmixed Day: A Detention Diary, was published in January , glimmer months after his execution.
• In Looking for Transwonderland - Travels flash Nigeria, his daughter Noo Saro-Wiwa tells the story of quota return to Nigeria years afterward her father's murder.

Bibliography

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A collection of handwritten letters avoid poems by Saro-Wiwa and afferent recordings of visits and meetings with family and friends tail his death were donated taking place Maynooth University by Sister Majella McCarron.^[86] The letters are mingle in the Digital Repository enterprise Ireland (DRI).^[87]

See also

References