The group is also accused Shell of destroying natural vegetation and causing severe environmental decay in the oil rich community.

It was 14 years on 10th November after the gruesome murder of Ken Saro Wiwa, a social activist who was killed along eight others in 1995. Wiwa confronted Shell Corporation and the Nigerian government over the degrading environment that has caused the over 500, 000 people to be impoverished.

Ogoni Solidarity Forum, a group formed to continue the struggles and ideals of Wiwa, will commemorate the killing of the activist and 14 others by insisting on the rights of the people to living in a clean environment and to also prosper from the oil gotten from its land.

Although the group claim that about 3000 people were murdered the government and Shell has exonerated themselves from the murder. Shell says its obligation lies squarely with the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not with the Ogoni people. “The demands of the group is outside the business scope of oil operating companies and within the governments’ sphere of responsibility” Shell said in a statement circulated in the media.

Clear demands

But the demands of the group are clear and reasonable; they want Shell to pay its rent and royalty during 1958 to 1983, the 35 years of exploration, it wants the company to obey the court rulings baring the company from flaring gas (which has resulted in harmful health condition), it wants the company to clean up the community from devastating environmental condition. “We want to remind Shell that the mess they left behind in Ogoniland following 35 years of oil theft is still there and they should responsively come and clean up” says Celestine Akpobari, National coordinator of the group.

“We have no schools, we have no water to drink, we live in worst environmental condition, our people are living in abject poverty, yet Shell corporation feeds fat on the wealth gotten from our land…..how else can you talk about injustice” Akpobari adds.

Asking the federal government of Nigeria to quash the judgement leveled against Ken Saro Wiwa. What more are the Ogonis’ fighting for? “We are asking for good clean environment, quality health care, can you imagine that we have no power supply, no good roads.” Akpobari said.

Struggle

The context of Ogoni struggle is the struggle of the Nigerian people, it is economic and political, the first step to development is development of human capital, we do not want palliative solutions to our challenge” says Comrade Abiodun Aremu, former coordinator of United Action for Democracy.

Judicial murder of Ken saro wiwa was committed in 1995 by the military government of late Sani Abacha. The military dictator saw Saro Wiwa demands and popularity as a threat to his dictatorial government. So the government set up court machinery that sentenced him to death by hanging. Subsequently Nigeria was suspended from Common wealth and international sanctions poured on the country.

Saro Wiwa is dead and gone for 14 years now, but his ideals and struggles of Saro Wiwa are still alive. The very problems he fought and died for are still unsolved. “We will continue to fight…the Ogoni people will keep the ideals of Ken Saro Wiwa alive no matter the intimidation or blackmail…we will not give up the struggle” says the Coordinator of the group.