Ken Saro-Wiwa’s Exoneration Will Be Critical to Resolve the Ogoni Problem

Says Ogoni Demands for Self Determination is Justifiable

The Movement
for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has again called for the
exoneration of the nine innocent Ogoni activists killed on November 10, 1995 by
the Nigerian government.

In an
interview with Voice of America”s James Butty in Washington DC president of
MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke said one critical aspect of the Ogoni problem that must be
addressed is the exoneration of the nine Ogoni activists executed by the
Nigerian government on November 10, 1995

Listen to
the VOA interview available at:
https://soundcloud.com/user-226022654/mosop-president-fegalo-nsuke-speaks-to-voa-during-the-unpo-meeting-in-washington-dc-in-march-2020

The MOSOP
president said the innocence of the
executed Ogoni activists has been well established and it is only proper to
exonerate them from the crimes which they never committed.

Nsuke said
it was important for the Nigerian government to show some Goodwill by admitting
its wrong doings and taking appropriate steps to address its endemic problems
such as are affecting the Ogoni people.

The MOSOP
president said Nigeria cannot run away from the fact that it connived with the
Shell Petroleum Development Company, Nigeria’s subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell
PLC to murder Ken Saro-Wiwa and the eight others in 1995.

He noted
that the Nigerian government needs to help the Ogoni people move on by taking
practical steps to heal the deep wounds inflicted on the people during the
years of repression.

These steps
will require a courageous apology to the Ogoni people including the exoneration
of the innocent souls executed on November 10, 1995, a proper cleanup of the
pollution in Ogoni and the payment of compensation for the damages and
livelihood losses due to the pollution.

Nsuke
further told the VOA that the Ogoni people were demanding the rights to self
determination and an end to the state endorsed discrimination against the Ogoni
people as a distinct ethnic nationality in Nigeria. He said the Ogoni struggle
is justifiable and anchored on human rights which are inalienable.

The
president of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke had been in the United States to attend the
meeting of the presidents of UNPO in Washington DC. Subsequently, he met with
several Ogoni communities in various cities in the United States.