One day after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu granted a posthumous presidential pardon to late environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others, collectively known as the Ogoni 9, Ogoni youths and stakeholders held a symbolic unity march in Port Harcourt to express gratitude and call for continued action on environmental justice.
The march, which began near the Air Force Base and proceeded along Ken Saro-Wiwa Road, saw the participation of various youth groups, traditional representatives, and members of the Ogoni diaspora The procession culminated at the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) office, where a formal vote of thanks and a resolution were presented.
The youth delegation hailed President Tinubu’s decision as a significant step toward healing and justice for the Ogoni people, decades after the execution of the Ogoni 9 in 1995 under Nigeria’s former military regime.
Speaking at the event, Ledogo Amaibu, Chairman of the Joint Representative Council (JRC), and Dr. Terry Bagia, President of the Ogoni Brain Trust Foundation, acknowledged visible progress in environmental cleanup and livelihood restoration efforts spearheaded by HYPREP under the Federal Ministry of Environment.
They also submitted a letter of confidence in support of Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, Coordinator of HYPREP, highlighted improved community engagement and project implementation in Ogoniland.
Receiving the youth delegation, Prof. Damian Aguiyi, Director of Technical Services at HYPREP, expressed appreciation for the peaceful demonstration and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to accelerating cleanup and sustainable development in Ogoniland
The march not only honoured the memories of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the other eight fallen heroes but also emphasized the Ogoni people’s continued demand for environmental justice, inclusion, and economic empowerment.
President Tinubu’s gesture, participants say, marks a hopeful turning point — a chance to correct historical injustices and promote national reconciliation.
