Following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s announcement of a presidential pardon and posthumous national honours conferred on the Ogoni Nine as part of the 2025 Democracy Day celebrations, reactions have continued to pour in from human rights advocates and relatives of the slain environmental campaigners.
Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, an environmental justice activist and Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), welcomed the recognition of the Ogoni Nine but strongly rejected the method of presidential pardon.
Reacting on the national honour, Dr. Fyneface argued that the activists deserve not a pardon, but full exoneration. “While we appreciate this recognition of their contributions to national development and environmental advocacy in a nonviolent manner, we cannot overlook the underlying injustice surrounding their summary trial and execution in 1995,” he said.
Dr. Fyneface called on President Tinubu to direct the Attorney General of the Federation to institute a judicial commission of enquiry to review the trial conducted by a military tribunal, with a view to officially clearing the names of the Ogoni Nine.
“What the Ogoni people want for the Ogoni nine is not a pardon, but exoneration.”He further urged the Federal Government to extend national honours to the Ogoni Four lesser-known but equally martyred figures in the Ogoni struggle for their sacrifices. Dr. Fyneface also commended the conferment of national honours on Barr. Ledum Mitee, CON, describing it as a step in the right direction.
Related: YEAC-Nigeria Marks Democracy Day with Call for Justice, Accountability
Echoing similar sentiments, Mrs. Esther Barinem-Kiobel, widow of Dr. Barinem Nubari Kiobel (one of the executed Ogoni Nine), expressed mixed emotions in a heartfelt statement. While she thanked the president for the honour bestowed on her late husband, she firmly rejected the notion of a pardon.
“Though my husband was declared ‘guilty’ by a Military Tribunal, the constitution and procedures of that tribunal were inconsistent with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she said. Mrs. Kiobel called on the President to direct the judiciary to set aside the tribunal’s judgment and formally declare the Ogoni Nine innocent.
“Pardon is not granted to the innocent. These were men who stood for a just cause but were executed because of the greed of a select few.” She urged President Tinubu to perfect what she described as a “bold move” by pushing for the exoneration of the Ogoni Nine, noting that such an action would write his name into the hearts of millions still grieving the injustice.
The Ogoni Nine including renowned writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa were executed in 1995 by the military regime of Gen. Sani Abacha after a widely condemned trial. Their deaths sparked international outrage and led to Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth.
