Ogoni leaders and environmental activists have urged the United Nations to designate October 10 as Ken Saro-Wiwa Day, honoring the late writer and human rights advocate executed on November 10, 1995, by General Sani Abacha’s regime. Saro-Wiwa led nonviolent protests against oil-driven environmental destruction in the Niger Delta, a fight that cost him and eight others their lives.
The call came during Saro-Wiwa’s 84th posthumous birthday celebration on October 10, 2025, in Bane, Khana Local Government Area, Rivers State. Organized by the Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation, the event drew Niger Delta community leaders, youth groups, and civil society organizations to celebrate his legacy. A statement issued in Uyo on October 12, 2025, reiterated the plea first made in 2005 during the 10th anniversary of his execution.
Barry Wugale, Director-General of the Foundation, emphasized Saro-Wiwa’s global impact on environmental justice and human rights. “His vision transcends borders, deserving international recognition,” Wugale said, outlining the Foundation’s work in literacy, activism through art, environmental renewal, economic innovation, technology, and partnerships. Plans to revive Saro-Wiwa’s unfinished projects, including a women’s microfinance scheme and a model secondary school in Bane, were also announced.
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Lekia Christian, President of the Niger Delta Coalition Against Violence, hailed Saro-Wiwa as a visionary whose writings continue to inspire global justice movements. “His words awakened a generation,” Christian said, decrying political divisions that threaten to dim his legacy. He vowed to sustain the annual commemoration, stressing that Saro-Wiwa’s fight for truth, peace, and self-determination remains a guiding force.
The push for a UN-designated day reflects a broader commitment to keep Saro-Wiwa’s ideals alive, ensuring his vision for an equitable, environmentally sustainable Niger Delta endures.
