Ogoni Leaders Seek UN Declaration Of Ken Saro-Wiwa Day, Urge Unity Among MOSOP Factions

Prominent Ogoni leaders, environmental advocates, and civil society actors have renewed calls on the United Nations to declare October 10 as Ken Saro-Wiwa Day as part of global efforts to immortalize the late environmentalist, writer, and human rights activist who was executed in 1995 for leading the Ogoni struggle against environmental degradation in the Niger Delta.

The call was made on Friday during the 84th posthumous birthday celebration of Ken Saro-Wiwa, held at his hometown, Bane, in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The event, organized by the Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation, drew participants from across the Niger Delta, civil society groups, youth organizations, and community leaders who gathered to celebrate the legacy of a man whose activism inspired a global movement for environmental justice.

Speaking at the event, Barry Wugale, Project Coordinator of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation, reaffirmed the group’s long-standing demand for the United Nations to officially recognize Saro-Wiwa’s contributions to human rights and environmental protection.

“We are renewing our call for the UN to set aside October 10 as Ken Saro-Wiwa Day to immortalize a man whose vision and sacrifice transcend borders,” he said.

Wugale explained that the Foundation’s work is guided by six thematic pillars — literacy and literature, activism through art, environmental renewal, the future economy, technology and innovation, and partnerships — all inspired by Saro-Wiwa’s values.

He also disclosed that the Foundation was working to revive some of Saro-Wiwa’s unfinished dreams, including a community microfinance initiative for women and the establishment of an international model secondary school in Bane.

“Saro-Wiwa believed that no Ogoni child should be left behind. He planned 20 years ahead of his time. We will ensure that his vision for education, environmental justice, and community-driven development becomes reality,” Wugale said.

Among the major demands presented at the celebration were a United Nations resolution declaring October 10 as Ken Saro-Wiwa Day; the establishment of a campus of the Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET) in Bane as a befitting honour to the late environmentalist; the creation of a Centre for Civil Society and Environmental Actions in Bane to promote environmental education and community engagement; a scholarship scheme for 15,000 Ogoni students over the next 15 years to foster human capital development; and unity among all factions of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) to strengthen the collective pursuit of Saro-Wiwa’s vision of self-determination, peace, and justice.

In his remarks, Comrade Lekia Christian, President of the Niger Delta Coalition Against Violence, hailed Saro-Wiwa as a rare visionary whose courage continues to inspire generations across the world. “Ken Saro-Wiwa was a man of ideas and conviction.

He used the power of words to awaken a generation. His writings are still being studied globally,” he said. Christian decried the growing disunity among Ogoni groups and urged all MOSOP factions to close ranks if they truly believe in the ideals Saro-Wiwa stood for.

“We will not give up. This celebration must continue because Ken Saro-Wiwa’s struggle was for truth, peace, and justice.

Those claiming to follow his ideology must unite and place the Ogoni cause above personal interest,” he added.

Also speaking, Keania Michael Karikpo, Country Manager of Natural Justice, described Saro-Wiwa as “a global giant of peace whose message of non-violence and environmental justice remains timeless.”

She announced that Natural Justice would collaborate with the Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation to promote research, literary discussions, and environmental education rooted in Saro-Wiwa’s philosophy.

“We want to study his ideas, not just to remember him, but to use them to drive social change,” she said. On his part, Dr. Bona Solomon, a youth rehabilitation advocate with Essol Resources, urged young people to emulate Saro-Wiwa’s resilience and discipline. “True activism must be backed by knowledge and productivity. We must transform these celebrations into platforms that empower young people to innovate and build the Ogoni of our dreams,” he said.