Vigils are being held in Nigeria to mark the 20th anniversary of the execution of the human rights activist and writer Ken Saro-Wiwa – along with eight others.
The men protested against the pollution caused by oil pollution in the Niger delta.
The writer led a peaceful uprising of hundreds of thousands against Shell’s widespread pollution in Ogoniiland.
His execution sparked international condemnation, led to Nigeria’s suspension from the British Commonwealth and highlighted issues in the Niger Delta that remain unresolved.
An Amnesty International report last week accused Shell of failing to clean up oil spills in the region – an accusation the company denied.
Within the Niger delta Mr Saro-Wiwa is seen as hero – a rallying figure for those in the region who feel they’ve paid a huge environmental price while failing to reap the benefits from oil.
But others in Nigeria believe the activist stirred divisions within the country by putting his region and his people before the nation as a whole.
BBC AFRICA
