5th Memorial Anniversary of the murder of Ken Saro Wiwa

Memorial Message From Mrs. Gbenewa Phido - President Mosop-Uk
11/11/00, United Kingdom

"THAT SPECIAL NOVEMBER DAY IN OGONILAND

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of all Ogonis in 
the UK, I thank you for gracing this special occasion of 5th 
remembrance service. On November 10, 1995 nine of our environmental /
human rights activists were murdered by a blood thirty dictator -
Sani Abacha. This was because they protested against the injustice that 
was meted against the Ogoni people for over 35 years.

Ogoni which is a minority tribe in Nigeria is made up of about
500,000 people. This Niger Delta community in Rivers State of 
Nigeria is a land with enormous oil reserves. Ogonis on the 
other hand are mainly farmers and fishermen. In 1958, Shell oil 
company discovered the oil wealth of the Ogoni people and since 
then oil has been explored from Ogoniland. However, to our dismay,
our oil wealth has turned out to be a cause rather than a 
blessing to us. Oil is now being mined at our expense. The 
exploration of oil in our land has led to the devastation our 
environment. Our farms no longer produce food due to consistent 
oil spill. Our environment is polluted with poisonous gases due to 
gas flares. Our rivers and streams are contaminated with acid 
rains. All in all Ogoni has been turned into a wasteland. But 
Shell and the Nigerian Government continues to reap untold profit 
from our sufferings and pains. Ogoniland has produced an estimated 
$100 billion to the coffers of the oil producing companies and the 
Nigerian Government which depends solely on oil for its foreign 
exchange earnings. Yet Ogoni lives in abject poverty. Ogoni lacks
basic necessities of life. Ogoniland has no electricity, hospitals,
schools, pipe-borne water etc. Politically Ogoni is marginalised,
economically Ogoni is strangulated, and environmentally Ogoni is
devastated.

For campaigning against these injustices in Ogoni Kenule Saro Wiwa,
Dr. Barinem Kiobel, John Kpuinen, Saturday Dorbee, Paul Levura, Nordu
Eawo, Felix Nuate, Daniel Gboko, and Baribor Bera were branded enemies
of the state and handed over to the hangman. They were murdered on November
10, 1995. This was the saddest day in Ogoni history. In the years of 
1993 to 1996, Ogoniland was declared a war zone by the Nigerian 
military led by Paul Okuntimu, Dauda Komo and others. Over 2,000 
Ogonis - men, women and children - were killed; thousands more were 
maimed, our young girls and mothers were raped, our properties were 
looted and our villages were destroyed and burnt.

The Ogoni struggle which has claimed so much blood sacrifices from
us is not just about a demand for relevance or acceptance in a 
society which deliberately undermines the rights of the Ogoni 
people. It is about a people who have been deprived for decades. 
It is about a people who find themselves living a meaningless 
life. It is about a people who are trying their possible best to
protect and preserve a future for Ogoni generations unborn. It 
is about protecting the rights of the minority all over the 
world.

However, 5 years after the death of Ken Saro Wiwa, nothing has
changed in Ogoniland. It is business as usual both from the 
Nigerian Government and Oil producing Companies. We are still plagued
with poverty, diseases, illiteracy, unemployment, and a polluted and
devastated environment. Yet Shell still desperately insist on 
returning to Ogoni. Only two weeks ago, Shell declared an obscene 
profit of £2.2 billion in 9 months - which translates to 
£24 million a day.

To Shell, oil exploration on our land is purely about investments and 
profits. To Ogonis, our land is about our future, about our livelihood and
about our children. On this premise therefore our message remains 
that Shell should stay well clear of Ogoniland. Ogoni had 
declared Shell persona non grata on our land on January 4th 
1993. This remains our verdict on Shell. They should be 
content with the profit they have made out of Ogoni over the years. They
should be satisfied with the havoc and mayhem they have caused the Ogoni
people over the years. We do not want a repetition of the genocide 
years of 1993 - 1996. We want our children to live normal lives 
like children in other parts of the world. We want to reap normal
harvest from our land in order to feed ourselves without starving and
begging. We have no other land but Ogoniland.

To the Nigerian Government, we remind of our demand for justice as
is clearly stated in the Ogoni Bill of Rights. We remind 
President Obasanjo of our request for a public inquiry into the 
deaths of Ken Saro Wiwa and the eight others. Ours is a just 
cause and we remain committed to see it come to its logical 
conclusion.

To our supporters worldwide, we plead that you continue to lend
your voice to our demands. Your voices help to strengthen our
courage in fighting the evils of society. On behalf of all Ogonis, 
we thank you for your continued support. While reminding us of Ken 
Saro Wiwa's last words of encouragement:

"Lord take my soul. But the struggle continues""