President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has posthumously conferred national honours and granted full state pardon to Ken Saro-Wiwa and the eight other members of the Ogoni 9, nearly 30 years after their execution by the Sani Abacha military regime.
The announcement came during President Tinubu’s Democracy Day address to a joint session of the National Assembly, where he described the late activists as “national heroes” who paid the ultimate price for environmental justice and democratic ideals.
“Furthermore, I also confer posthumous national honours on Ken Saro-Wiwa (CON), the leader of the Ogoni Nine and his fellow travellers,” Tinubu declared, listing Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine, each receiving the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) posthumously.
President Tinubu also announced a full presidential pardon for the Ogoni 9, who were controversially executed in 1995 for their activism against environmental degradation caused by oil exploitation in the Niger Delta. Their execution sparked global condemnation and led to Nigeria’s temporary suspension from the Commonwealth.
“I shall also be exercising my powers under the prerogative of mercy to grant these national heroes a full pardon,” Tinubu said. “Others will be announced in conjunction with the National Council of State.”
In a sweeping tribute to Nigeria’s pro-democracy legacy, Tinubu also bestowed posthumous and living national honours on dozens of journalists, activists, civil society leaders, and public intellectuals who played pivotal roles in Nigeria’s struggle for freedom and human rights.
Among the posthumous honourees are:
Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (GCFR)
Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti (CON)
Prof. Humphrey Nwosu (CON)
Bagauda Kaltho (OON)
Chima Ubani (OON)
Alao Aka Bashorun (CON)
Chief Bola Ige (CFR)
Alhaja Sawaba Gambo (CON)
And many others.
The president also honoured living icons of democracy and the media, including:
Prof. Wole Soyinka (GCON)
Dapo Olorunyomi (OON)
Bayo Onanuga (CON)
Kunle Ajibade (OON)
Femi Falana, SAN (CON)
Senator Shehu Sani (CON)
Bishop Matthew Kukah (CON)
Prof. Julius Ihonvbere (CON)
Odia Ofeimun (CON)
Seye Kehinde (OON)
In a special recognition, Sam Amuka Pemu, veteran journalist and publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, was conferred with the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) as he marks his 90th birthday on June 13.
Reactions and Historical Context
Human rights advocates and environmental activists have long called for justice and rehabilitation of the Ogoni 9, who were convicted by a military tribunal under deeply flawed legal proceedings.
In 2022, activist and Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore described the executions as a stain on Nigeria’s conscience.
“The murder of Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 other Ogonis has continued to haunt Nigeria,” Sowore wrote. “Ken was a pioneer environmentalist, a philosopher, a fighter and a prophet who declared that his traducers would end up in the dustbin of history.”
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Ken Saro-Wiwa, a renowned author and founder of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), was a leading voice against the environmental damage caused by oil companies, especially Shell Petroleum, in Ogoniland. His legacy has inspired global environmental justice movements.
A New Chapter in National Reconciliation?
By granting full pardon and honouring these historical figures, President Tinubu may be aiming to position his administration as a unifying force, healing old wounds and strengthening Nigeria’s democratic foundation.
As Nigeria marks 25 years of uninterrupted democracy, these gestures may also serve as a symbolic reset — acknowledging past injustices while celebrating those who sacrificed for freedom, human dignity, and environmental justice.