‘Saro-Wiwa Gave Niger Delta Global Attention’

Former president of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Legborsi Pyagbara, has said the environmental activism of late Ogoni leader, Kenule Saro-Wiwa, brought global attention to the ecological degradation in the Niger Delta region.

Pyagbara stated this yesterday in Port Harcourt while speaking at a one-day symposium to mark the 30th anniversary of the hanging of Saro-Wiwa and eight of his compatriots.

He further stated that the late environmentalist’s ultimate sacrifice galvanized the global movement than any man in recorded history.

*My fellow compatriots and friends of the Ogoni struggle, on this day 30 years ago,  the murderous and wicked  Abacha government, with their fellow vampires killed Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight of our fellow brothers in the belief that their death will quench the Ogoni struggle and end the struggle in the Niger Delta.

“The question is did Saro-Wiwa die? The answer is no. As long as they continue to live in our hearts, as long as we continue to remember them and as long as we continue to build in their legacies, then, they did not die.

“Today, all over the world, Saro-Wiwa is being celebrated; his works, his ideas, his inimitable commitment, his unrivalled passion  and his ultimate sacrifice had galvanized the global movement than any man in recorded history.

“The cause of environmentalism in Ogoni, Nigeria and the  world at large today is partly from the sacrifice of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his ultimate death. Just as he predicted, the global focus on Ogoni environment today and the Niger Delta is brought about by the struggle that was nursed, nurtured and championed by Ken Saro-Wiwa.

“His death not only challenged the colonial structure called Nigeria, his death brought Nigeria to it’s knees. Today, there are several process, globally , that have been berthed because of Ken Saro-Wiwa.”