10 Key Facts About The Ogoni Nine You Should Know

10 Key Facts About The Ogoni Nine You Should Know - Politics

June 12, 2025

10 Key Facts About Nigeria’s Ogoni Nine You Should Know

1. Who Were They? The Ogoni Nine—Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine—were activists from Ogoniland, Nigeria, fighting for environmental and social justice.

2. 📷Their Cause: They led the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), demanding accountability from oil companies like Shell for devastating Ogoniland’s environment through oil spills.

3. Non-Violent Protests: Their protests were peaceful, using global campaigns and local rallies to highlight the pollution that ruined farmland, rivers, and livelihoods in the Niger Delta. 📷

4. 📷Framed for Murder: In 1994, the Nine were falsely accused of killing four Ogoni chiefs during a riot. Evidence suggests the the military regime orchestrated the charges to silence them. ⚖️

5. Sham Trial: 📷 Under Gen. Sani Abacha’s dictatorship, they faced a biased military tribunal with no fair defense. Witnesses later admitted to being bribed to testify against them.

6. Execution in 1995: Despite global appeals from figures like Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton, the Nine were hanged on Nov 10, 1995, sparking worldwide condemnation.

7. Global Impact: Their deaths led to Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth and intensified scrutiny of Shell’s role in the Niger Delta. 📷

8. 📷 Ken Saro-Wiwa’s Legacy: A renowned writer and activist, Saro-Wiwa’s eloquent speeches and writings continue to inspire environmental justice movements worldwide. 📷📷

9. Pardon in 2025: In 2025, President Tinubu pardoned the Ogoni Nine, acknowledging the injustice and honoring their fight for Ogoniland’s future. 📷

10. Environmental struggle over?:📷 The Ogoni struggle persists, with calls for complete environmental cleanup and fair resource distribution in the Niger Delta. Their sacrifice fuels hope. 📷
#KenSaroWiwa #NigerDelta #OgoniNine #Pardon

https://x.com/OlufemiOG/status/1933147162008813950

The fight didn’t end with the hangings. What about the Ogoni Nine Widows

For nearly 3 decades, widows of the #OgoniNine—especially Esther Kiobel—have fought for truth and justice. Here’s a short thread about their struggle, courage, and resistance.🧵
#KenSaroWiwa #JusticeForOgoniNine #ShellKnew

1. Esther Kiobel watched her world collapse in 1995.
Her husband, Dr. Barinem Kiobel, one of the Ogoni Nine, was executed after a sham trial. Esther says he was innocent, targeted for his activism, and betrayed by both state and oil power.

2. She believes Shell was complicit.
Esther has consistently alleged that Shell Nigeria played a role in her husband’s arrest and death by collaborating with the Nigerian military regime. Shell denies the claims—but the allegations persist.

3. She fled Nigeria in fear.
After her husband’s execution, Esther fled Nigeria for safety. She lived in exile, eventually resettling in the U.S., carrying only grief—and a burning desire for justice.

4. She sued Shell in U.S. courts.
In 2002, Esther and other widows brought a case in New York under the Alien Tort Statute, accusing Shell of aiding and abetting human rights violations, including torture and extrajudicial killings.

5. The case was dismissed in 2013.
In Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Co., the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the ATS did not apply to foreign conduct. The case made global headlines—but the door to justice in U.S. courts closed.

6. She didn’t stop.
In 2017, Esther Kiobel filed a new case—this time in the Netherlands, where Shell’s parent company is based. She and three other widows once again accused Shell of involvement in the killing of their husbands.

7. The Dutch trial began in 2019.
For the first time, the widows faced Shell in a courtroom in The Hague. Esther testified about threats, arrests, and how Shell’s relationship with the regime endangered their families.

8. In 2022, the Dutch court dismissed the case.
The court said the evidence was not sufficient to hold Shell liable. Disappointed but not defeated, Esther called the verdict a “betrayal” of justice—but a chapter, not the end.

9. Their struggle is part of history.
These widows have become symbols of courage, refusing silence. They've taken on a global oil giant, armed with memory, truth, and moral clarity. #EstherKiobel #OgoniWidows

10. Their cause is our cause.
This is more than a legal battle—it’s a demand for corporate accountability, human dignity, and environmental justice. The widows of the Ogoni Nine are also heroines in the fight for a better world.🌍

#OgoniNine #KenSaroWiwa #NigerDelta #Nigeria #Pardon