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TOMMcFINI@aol.com Hartford, CT, USA

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'PRESIDENTIAL PARDON' FOR OGONI HEROES AND MARTYRS

hough, with broken heart and mixed feelings, I welcome the visit of President Olusegun Obasanjo to Ogoni and foundation laying stone of the Ogoni Memorial Monument in honor of Ogoni heroes and martyrs in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoni nation. The President's physical presence and participation in the historic event was a remarkable civic honor accorded the Ogoni Heroes and Martyrs. Indeed it would be presumed that the President realizes the fact that the Ogoni heroes were unjustly murdered. And I hope that the step taken by the President would stimulate mutual understanding and bridge the gap between the Aso Rock and the Ogoni people and also transcend to other parts of Niger Delta and the entire country at large.

However, let me briefly comment on the Federal Government's wrong perceptions of the slain Ogoni Heroes and Martyrs and the actual status of those great men in the society and in the public view. The Provisional Ruling Council [PRC], the Federal Military Government highest decision-making and ruling body led by late General Sani Abacha before and after committing the judicial murder tried to convince Nigerians and the world to believe that Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni men were criminals. And so their false conviction and judicial murders were justified. Since then no successive administration has ever attempted to redeem the federal government of Nigeria the embarrassment of the blatant lie and horrific crime. Since the truth about the slain Ogoni men lies daily on there table, but it takes only men of wisdom and courage to publicly admit guilt. Not to mention accepting avoidable but cruel act of unjustified murder committed deliberately by the country's national government. Ironically, since after then every successive government managed to play low on the barbaric murder, but never condemns it, shamelessly they desperately want Ogoni oil for which those great men were murdered.

President Olusegun Obasanjo, in pretense, fails to acknowledge that the Ogoni Heroes and Martyrs were respected, peacenik, noble, honorable, lovable, just and law-abiding indigents of Ogoni nation and bona fide citizens of Nigeria. The President and other uncivilized rulers at the Aso Rock fail to appreciate that the fallen Ogoni heroes and martyrs in several ways had contributed immensely either individually or collective to the growth, development and unity of Nigeria. They pretend not to recognize the fact that the slain heroes and martyrs represented the over all views, interest, and aspirations of all marginalized and oppressed indigenous nations in Nigeria. Regrettably, the Federal Government feigns not to realize the fact that the cause and beliefs of the Ogoni heroes and martyrs are the conscience of the Nigerian nation. They were NO criminals and have not been justifiably proven guilty of any crime. They were defenseless innocent victims of injustices and contempt of justice concocted by bloodthirsty, barbaric murderers, junta and despotic military regime, and collaborators who had no vision for Nigeria and honorable peoples of the country.

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It was recently reported that President Obasanjo used his visit to announce that the Federal Government has a plan in the making to grant 'presidential pardon' to the Ogoni Nine. Meanwhile, the President was at the same time laying foundation stone for a monument in their honor. They have not been "pardoned" yet, which in his opinion they are still criminals by the implication of his double standards. The question is, is it proper for the President to lay foundation in their honor before the so-called "pardon" or "pardon" [to forgive, to set them free] before the honor? I have strong conviction that the President understands and knows that the Ogoni Heroes and Martyrs were no criminals. Is the President's pronouncement a political gesture to score political point or the President in a confused state of mind? President Obasanjo like his predecessors is acting in pretense. Going back a little, when President Alhaji Shehu Shagari granted pardon to Chief Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu after the failure of his secession bid and self-exile in Ivory Coast, I believe the pardon was granted and announced before Chief Ojukwu was officially allowed and received into Nigeria. Chief Ojukwu opted for a pardon because he committed treasonable felony against the Nigerian-State. In that circumstance, the secessionist warlord had no choice but to settle for the President's prerogative pardon that would allow him to set his feet on Nigerian soil again as a free man.

Therefore, pardon as a choice for President Obasanjo to redeem and restore the dignity, respect and virtues of the Ogoni Nine came as a shocker. Again Ogoni people are appalled, dispirited and dismayed by the President's recent pronouncement of a "pardon" in the making for our forever-respected Heroes and Martyrs. Literally, a 'pardon' is forgiveness, or release of penalties for wrong doings or crime committed. So, by implication or application Aso Rock's plan to grant 'pardon' to the Ogoni slain Heroes and Martyrs falls short of ideal justice for the Ogoni Heroes and Martyrs. But further infers that President Obasanjo's administration justifies and upholds the forged charges, false and illegal conviction and judicial murder of my innocent kinsmen.

Having said that, and with due respect, the planned 'pardon' for Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni environmental and human rights activists unjustly murdered by Federal military government of Nigeria led by late military tyrant General Sani Abacha is morally wrong and so not a reconciliable option. Pardon is an under-estimated choice in the circumstances as the Ogoni Heroes and Martyrs did not commit the crimes they were illegally charged and falsely murdered for. They deserve better than that. What the Ogoni Nine deserve and is appropriate in the circumstances is complete and unconditional 'EXONERATION' and that's what the Ogoni people and civic-minded people all over the world, are assiduously demanding from the Federal Government of Nigeria. We want and demand posthumous restoration of their freedom, innocence, dignity, respect and virtues even in death. Because they were and are innocent of the crime they were murdered for, the demand for their 'EXONERATION' is inexcusably non-negotiable and anything short of the EXONERATION would be viewed as continued contempt by the Federal Government, and we shall continue to demand until justice is done. The Ogoni people are not bargaining for compromise of justice. We demand for justice in its entirety, real and practical term and meaning and application.

What the governments and rulers of this country need is a sense of justice and responsiveness to the yearnings and aspirations of the population of the masses. Few years ago the Government of Belgium rendered apologies to the Government and Peoples of the Democratic Republic of Congo for the roles and crimes committed against that African country almost forty years after. If a foreign government can apologize to another foreign country why can't justice be found for innocent and bona fide citizens of Nigeria, who were wrongly murdered by the same Government that owed them the constitutional and civic responsibility to protect them? Ideally, any government that failed to perform its civic duties, practice equal justice, provide basic needs, preserve the dignity and virtues and protect the citizens of its country. Or denies its citizens their natural and constitutional rights certainly does not deserve the respect of its citizens or deserve to exist as a Government. A Presidential pardon in whichever form or manner is not only an affront to the Ogoni heroes and martyrs but speaks ill of our system, leadership, civility, democracy and betrays the confidence and hope of the public in our justice system and governance.

Similarly, another issue of serious concern expressed during the President's visit was the assertion that the so-called proposed dialogue between Ogoni, Shell and Federal Government is to facilitate 'quick resumption of oil mining in Ogoni'. The President's assertion is far from reality and expectations of the Ogoni people and further compounded the already growing skepticism and stern doubts on the collaborated intents and motives of the Federal Government and Shell. While Federal government and Shell are crazy about resumption of oil mining, justice remains the priority of the peoples of Niger Delta in particular and other unsatisfied ethnic nations in Nigeria.

From a realistic perspective, resumption of oil production in Ogoni is secondary and of course the last stage of the dialogue process. There is no short cut or perfunctory resumption of oil mining in Ogoni. The demands of the Ogoni people [Ogoni Bill of Rights] should be accepted and honored by the Federal Government and exhaustively examined and considered for implementations as applicable. Shell must account for and apologize for the heinous crimes, double standards and clean up and pay adequate compensations for environmental damages in Ogoni. Basically the Ogoni people expect that the dialogue is a process of addressing the Ogoni Bill of Rights and injustice, horrific crimes and damages done including the miseries of Ogoni people caused by oil exploration and exploitation and gross neglect by the Federal and State Governments over the past years. And importantly, the future of Ogoni nation in the Nigerian commonwealth and empowerment of the Ogoni people, which would include and guarantee the rights to ownership, control and management of resources derived from Ogoni region.

Ogoni people explicitly censure and reject the draconian Land Use Decree of 1978 and strongly call for its immediate repeal, because it denies the resources producing communities their natural rights to ownership. The oppressive decree leaves the peoples of Niger Delta in abject conditions, while the abundant bounties and proceeds from the Ogoni resources and other parts of Niger Delta are being shared among political opportunists, or being misappropriated, mismanaged and even stolen by political bandits and members of the military junta. Ogoni people will no longer accept the antiquated and defective equipment and substandard methods used by Shell in mining oil in Ogoni, that have over the years exposed the local people to eminent danger, diseases and mysterious death on daily bases. Before Shell or any other oil mining companies will resume production in Ogoni [if so agreed], such companies must first conduct all necessary impact assessment studies, accept conditions that may be attached and agree to use the standards of operations and equipment acceptable internationally and practiced in industrially developed countries. The Federal Government is therefore warned that if the sole motive of the so-called dialogue [reconciliation] is to resume oil production in Ogoni it should abandon the project before wasting time and money. It must be justice before oil NOT the other way round. We have had enough of oil exploration but no justice. Certainly, the days of ignorance are over.

May I also draw our attentions to the recent appointment of Ken Saro-Wiwa, Jr. as Special Adviser to the President on Peace, Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation. This is another welcome approach by the President Obasanjo administration. In reality, it is no exaggeration to say that the new office in the Presidency is needed most at this time as religious disparities, ethnic agitation and even political crisis in the country appears to become insoluble and unruly. Apparently, the crises keep spreading like uncontrollable wild fire, because the government has not demonstrated enough or initiated genuine mechanisms to resolve the looming and unfortunate situations. But on the other hand one may be tempted to believe that the President has the moral drive to listen to the several agitation and finding ways to addressing them, but personally lacks the vision, innovations, moral and efficacious initiatives. So he needs competent and experienced advisers of good standing and with patriotic zeal to help the President figure out solutions to resolve, reconcile and prevent future crises in the country. I think the government's failure in resolving the prevalent crises in the country is because there is no real concerned and patriotic individuals in the administration. Neither do the so-called [s]elected representatives that only devote their times and energy for self aggrandizement and political pursuit care about issues that affect the population masses.

It will be recalled that former military President General Ibrahim B. Babangida was almost drown in similar confusion: what to do with Nigeria and Nigerians he once claimed to know better than anyone else. Thus, in 1987 General Babangida set up what he called Directorate of Mass Mobilization, Social Justice and Economic Recovery [MAMSER] and appointed late Ken Saro-Wiwa, its [first] Executive Director. Unknown to his boss, this was one of the few opportunities the adroit Saro-Wiwa would not let go. He accepted the offer even amidst being critical of military dictatorship and took the best advantage of the opportunity. Some of the primary challenges of the Directorate and Saro-Wiwa's tasks were to revolutionize Nigeria, arouse the conscience and sensitize the sense of justice and fundamental rights of Nigerians, stimulate their understanding and consciousness of their rights and obligations as citizens. Others included, to promote transparent governance, dignity and virtues of patriotism, participation in national affairs and economic recovery. To propagate people oriented [democratic] governance, educate and equip Nigerians to summon necessary guts to rise against injustice that has perpetually crippled Nigerian society and left millions of indigenous minorities and ethnic nationalities subjected to third class citizenship in the country.

It is worthy of note that within one year of Ken Saro-Wiwa's committed time and services, he did marvelous researches and laid efficacious framework and innovations that would have sensitized Nigerian society and later propel his next challenge. Ken was aware that the task was enormous, but working under or for a military dictatorship with discreet motives and successfully project intellectual ideology was another serious challenge for him. Ken did not let the military cruelty, dictatorship and perceived discreet motives of the military junta sway him. He was a patriotic no-nonsense man, intelligent and adroit Ogoni-Nigerian, who understood the Nigerians societies, the peoples, their cultural diversity and what they want and need and more so the qualities and caliber of the military men he worked with. He knew when it was ripe for him to say 'bye' and honorably he did.

Few years later, in 1990 with the support of Ogoni elite, Ken Saro-Wiwa founded the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People popularly known as MOSOP, and with overwhelming approval and encouragement by Ogoni leaders of thoughts, Chiefs, men and women of Ogoni MOSOP was launched in 1993. Between 1990 and 1995, when Ken Saro-Wiwa was wrongly murdered by the Federal government of Nigeria, he severally prognosticated the widespread of ethnic agitation and demands for social justice by the people, increase in political and economic crises and even possible disintegration of the camouflaged federation. If the federal government failed to address the issues that affect Nigeria citizens, particularly people of the Niger Delta region. Though the predicted dooms were avoidable but with the irresponsibility of the government the situations became more complex and inevitable.

As if President Obasanjo wants to re-invent the spirit and instinct of late Ken Saro-Wiwa, he has appointed Ken Saro-Wiwa's son to advise him [the President] on Peace, Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation. But in spite of the perceived obscure motives behind the appointment of the young chap by the President, he must have realized that Ken Saro-Wiwa, Sr. and Ken Saro-Wiwa, Jr. are two different individuals. Unlike his father, the young Ken Saro-Wiwa, Jr. has barely settled in Nigeria and so may have limited experience and knowledge about or understand the Nigerian political, cultural diversity and even religious disparity, the complexities and heterogeneity of the Nigerian society. With this serious concern, did the President make an intelligent choice or morally committed to solving the country's looming problems? Or did the President make the appointment to pacify the Ogoni people? Technically, the President's choice appointee is not likely an apt one as the young fellow is believed to be still strange with Nigeria complexities and his assigned tasks. I also believe that there other Ogoni fellows with better knowledge and understanding about Nigerian societies.

The Niger Delta Development Commission [NDDC], the Special Presidential Development Committee of Coastal/Niger Delta States, the Ogoni, Shell and Federal Government Reconciliation, Oputa Commission on Human Rights Abuses, National Political Conference had all failed woefully. Therefore, no matter what the President's intents may be, the new office may still fail like other previous attempts, unless there will be some real innovations, change of heart and commitments. Unless the President is truly and genuinely committed to solving the problems and reconciling the broken pieces of the Nigerian societies, the anticipated results of the office of the Special Advisor may fail.

Finally, I pray that as the young Ken Saro-Wiwa, Jr. assumes the duties of his new office as the President's Special Advisor, God should grant him the wisdom and knowledge to perform the tasks. I also hope that President Olusegun Obasanjo would respect his views and recommendations to justify the good purposes of the new establishment and save Nigeria and honorable peoples of the great Nation.