In a major step toward healing old wounds, President Bola Tinubu has honoured four Ogoni leaders killed decades ago. He awarded them one of Nigeria’s highest national honours after death, calling for unity in the region. The move is part of a new peace effort to end years of conflict.
The four men, known as the “Ogoni Four,” were murdered in 1995. Their deaths led to the arrest and execution of the famous activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others by the military government. This tragedy created a deep rift between the Ogoni people and the government, stalling economic activity for years.
President Tinubu linked this gesture of peace to a key economic decision. He confirmed plans to restart oil production in Ogoniland, following a handover of the oil fields to the state oil company in 2022. The President has now ordered his security adviser to begin talks with the Ogoni people and oil companies to finalize the restart.
The President urged the Ogoni community to embrace reconciliation and leave the painful past behind. He said the memory of the four leaders should inspire courage and unity for a prosperous future. This signals a government push to combine historical justice with economic revival in the troubled region.
