Ken Saro-Wiwa

Nigerian environmental activist executed for opposing oil industry exploitation

Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa (1941-1995) [1] revolutionized environmental justice advocacy in Africa through his nonviolent resistance against Shell's ecological destruction in Nigeria's Niger Delta. As founder of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), he organized 300,000 Ogoni people in peaceful protests against toxic oil spills that contaminated farmlands and waterways.

His 1990 Ogoni Bill of Rights [2] became a blueprint for indigenous rights movements worldwide. Despite facing military torture and imprisonment, Saro-Wiwa documented environmental damage through satellite imagery years before climate activism gained global attention.

The writer-activist's 1995 execution by military dictatorship sparked international sanctions against Nigeria. His final words The struggle continues! inspired subsequent generations of African environmentalists. The UN Human Rights Council now recognizes environmental protection as fundamental human right - a direct legacy of Saro-Wiwa's sacrifice.