Patrick U. Akongwale|13 November 2017
22 years ago, my dad and my sibling glued to our transistor radio, waiting for official confirmation from Sani Abacha's military junta that they have killed Ken Saro-Wiwa and his Ogoni Brothers. Ken Saro-Wiwa became a household name in my house during the period before and after his death.
The bulk of the people that killed him are serving in government today or have have served in previous governments thereafter, from Mr President to the untouchables in his cabinet like Hameed Ali. Justice Ibrahim Auta that was handpicked by the Abacha Junta for the Tribunal/Racket rose to the top of the Federal Hight Court as the Chief Judge; Joseph Davis (SAN) is a big lawyer in the country and a former President of the Nigeria Bar Associations.
I am sure you now understand why the Customs boss (Hameed Ali) has no regard for an ancient institution like the Senate? Ken's death is a big lesson to all of us when carrying the cross call Nigeria, a street code that goes; "Carry it on your shoulder so that you can drop it when it gets heavy". Ken, was not a mere mortal —he was a god living among mortals, reason why he didn't live by our normal codes. Ken was murdered by Abacha when the period for appeal hadn't been exhausted, that is the sad part of the story. Dauda and Auta definitely couldn't stop Abacha from ramming his targets, but, sane societies make sure men like these pay a prize for their role in such a crude exercise by limiting their rise in public service —serving as an Eye-opener to generations to come.
In 2011, Senator Lee Maria (Rivers, South East) was shut down by then Senate President, David Mark, when he moved a motion for Ken Saro-Wiwa and his Ogoni Brothers to be immortalized by the Federal Government, David Mark represents the institution that killed Ken & his brothers (The Nigerian Military). Immortalizing Ken & his Brothers, for Mark, is like asking him to betray Sani Abacha, a man he shares strong brotherhood with. The same way PMB for years kept defending Abacha and telling the media that the man didn't steal.
Like I always maintained, we can only forge national unity the day injustice like these are confronted, even if the dead cannot be brought to life again.
Patrick U. Akongwale
Is a Social Commentator
