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Saro Wiwa’s Dream Comes Alive

Fourteen years after the gruesome murder of a human right activist and the leader of the Movement for the survival of the ogoni people (MOSOP), Mr Ken Saro- Wiwa, his dreams and memory is set to come alive in Lagos. The ceremony which is to commemorate the fourteen years

anniversary of Saro- Wiwa’s death is scheduled to hold on Tuesday 10th November 2009, the day the MOSOP leader was murdered.

The remembrance ceremony for the murder of Ken Saro Wiwa has become a yearly event as a reflection of the maltreatment and injustice meted to the ogoni people because of oil, which led to the murder of some prominent ogoni people by the military junta of the late maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha.

In an exclusive interview with P.M.NEWS in Lagos, the organizer of the Ken saro wiwa day and National Administrator, ogoni solidarity forum, Mr Akpobari Celestine said that he was determined to bring to the fore the struggles and the vision of which the late human right activist stood for.

Mr Akpobari who just came back from Paris told our correspondent at the Muritala Muhammed international airport Lagos  that he would not allow the struggle, ideas and values  which Ken Saro Wiwa stood for to die and that he was ready to carry on the struggle on till the Ogoni people are liberated and also, the murderers of Ken Saro Wiwa are made to face the world court for crimes again humanity.

Mr Akpobari promised to kick start the Ken Saro Wiwa day in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and other parts of the country until it becomes a national day as well as international day.

The Ogoni Solidarity forum demanded that the government of Nigeria accepts responsibility for the atrocities committed in their land and apologise for same.

Other demands from the forum include, the request that government of Nigeria accedes to the legitimate demands of Ogoni people as enshrined in the Ogoni Bill of right.

That the murder conviction of Ken Saro Wiwa and other Ogonis be quashed, that the government of  Nigeria and shell pay for the 35 years of oil theft in Ogoni land. That they both clean up their polluted environment.

Others are, adequate compensation be paid to all families who lost their loved ones and that all those who took part in the genocide against unarmed Ogonis, be brought to book, and if dead their bones be exhumed to face trail.

The OSF leader, stated that with the support of movement for the survival of Ogoni people (MOSOP), as their big umbrella, other affiliate organizations  like COP, COTRA, NYCOP etc. is set to build a stronger MOSOP.