May 26th Rally in Ogoni: Report & Photos
May 27th, 2009 | Published in blog | 7 Comments
On May 26th, people from across Ogoni joined a rally organized by the Ogoni Solidarity Forum and Social Action, along with other supporting organizations. There were very tense moments at the beginning, when soldiers stopped buses filled with supporters on the way to the rally and arrested dozens of people.
The first report came through from Ogoni:
Earlier today, Ogoni and other Nigerian activists were prevented by troops from entering an open field at Bori where solidarity rallies were scheduled in honour of Ken Saro-Wiwa and in opposition to genocide by Nigerian soldiers in Gbaramatu and other Ijaw communities in Delta State.
Members of Ogoni communities and other Nigerian activists have today been arrested by police. Most of those arrested are women (in 5 buses) who were on their way to Ken Saro-Wiwa’s village for a rally to protest the complicity of Shell and the Nigerian government in the Ogoni murders. The community members are also opposed to a return of oil drilling in Ogoniland. Each of the 5 buses carried 30 persons and the 150 were forced into a little cell and about 20 cell phones were smashed when they tried to make contact with a rally organizer from the police station.
Celestine, a key organizer from the Ogoni Solidarity Forum writes after the rally:
However, the resilience and determination of our people ensured that we had one of the most peaceful and successful protest with over 1,500 persons participating.I must confess that I didn’t prepare for the crowd I saw and had to go the extra mile in making sure that enough vehicles were mobilised to move them to Bane-Ken’s community after our ugly encounter with the police.
Photos after the break–
In the end, there was a rally around Bori-the traditional Headquarter of Ogoni people, which ended with a mock trial to hear the charges against Shell. Unsurprisingly, Shell was found guilty and the assembled people were, according to one witness, “jubilant” at the finding. The day ended with a candle-lit procession around the village of the late Ken Saro-Wiwa, finally concluding with a vigil at Saro-Wiwa’s graveside.
Click on any of the images below to see full-size (640 x 480px is maximum):
[Journalists: you are welcome to use the images. Please credit them to 'Ogoni Solidarity Forum.']
A little maiden leading other campaigners
campaigners on the street of Bori-Ogoni
Campaigners display ShellGuilty Posters
ShellGuilty Campaign at Bori Ogoni
Abiodun Aremu, Convener of United Action for Democracy, leads supporters to the Bori Police station
Shell pleads guilty during trial at the peoples court in Ogoni
Traditional judges passing verdict of guilt on Shell
Ogonis jubilant over verdict of guilt on Shell
Ogonis at the candle lit vigil for Ken and others including Goodluck Diigbo, a MOSOP leader
May 27th, 2009 at 1:56 pm (#)
A history of oppression is a history of resistance.
Okey Nwafor.
May 28th, 2009 at 12:20 am (#)
[...] of each of the protests are available to download along with a note of information. Click here for Nigeria, New York, and [...]
May 28th, 2009 at 3:17 am (#)
My dear peace loving people of Ogoni, what we are seeing today should make us happy because the message has gone beyond our expectation and more evidence abounds. The soldiers destroying our properties, arresting and intimidating us are all stories we’ll tell posterity, but this injustice being meted will surely come to an end: just as the dream King Martin Luther Jnr was made manisfest in Barack Obama and the white world could not stop it; so shall the dreams of our fallen and alive Heros like Isaac Adaka Boro, Ken Sara Wiwa and others including Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo will come to pass and neither the Nigerian Soldires nor the Nigerian Nation could stop it but will…
May 28th, 2009 at 7:53 am (#)
Finally, Shell’s on trial! What more can I ask for.
May 28th, 2009 at 9:43 am (#)
THE NIGER DELTA SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN IS ORGANISING A PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION IN LONDON AGAINST THE MASSACRES IN THE NIGER DELTA BY THE NIGERIAN ARMY
The people of the Niger Delta under the umbrella of the Niger Delta Solidarity campaign will be holding a public demonstration in London to protest against the invasion and bombing of several Niger Delta communities by the Nigerian Military. These atrocious acts of brutality have led to an estimated death toll of over 1000 people and more than 20,0000 displaced people. Several towns and villages have been completely razed and many others are under occupation by the military. These military attacks are still continuing today.
Come and join your fellow Niger Delta brothers and sisters and raise your voice against these massacres in our land.
Date: Monday 1st June 2009 - Venue: 10 Downing Street / Nigerian High commission. Time: 12 Noon - 2pm (10 Downing Street) 2 – 3 pm (Nigerian High Commission, 9 Northumberland Avenue, London. WC2N 5BX.) We will be submitting a petition to the British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown.
http://WWW.NIGERDELTASOLIDARITY.ORG INFO@NIGERDELTASOLIDARITY.ORG
THE NIGER DELTA SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN IS ORGANISING A PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION IN LONDON AGAINST THE MASSACRES IN THE NIGER DELTA BY THE NIGERIAN ARMY
The people of the Niger Delta under the umbrella of the Niger Delta Solidarity campaign will be holding a public demonstration in London to protest against the invasion and bombing of several Niger Delta communities by the Nigerian Military. These atrocious acts of brutality have led to an estimated death toll of over 1000 people and more than 20,0000 displaced people. Several towns and villages have been completely razed and many others are under occupation by the military. These military attacks are still continuing today.
Come and join your fellow Niger Delta brothers and sisters and raise your voice against these massacres in our land.
Date: Monday 1st June 2009 - Venue: 10 Downing Street / Nigerian High commission. Time: 12 Noon - 2pm (10 Downing Street) 2 – 3 pm (Nigerian High Commission, 9 Northumberland Avenue, London. WC2N 5BX.)
We will be submitting a petition to the British Prime Minister, Mr. Gordon Brown.
http://WWW.NIGERDELTASOLIDARITY.ORG INFO@NIGERDELTASOLIDARITY.ORG
May 29th, 2009 at 8:26 am (#)
I have just read Felt and Batten by Phil Vasili. One of the main characters is a MOSOP activist. It deals with, among other themes, the destruction of Ogoni by the oil companies. It is available on the webiste Lulu (see below for address). I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in a fictionalised account of the Ogoni struggle.
http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?search_forum=-1&search_cat=2&show_results=topics&return_chars=200&search_keywords=&keys=&header_search=true&sitesearch=lulu.com&q=&fSearch=felt+and+batten&fSearchFamily=2&fSubmitSearch..x=9&fSubmitSearch.y=11
May 29th, 2009 at 8:33 am (#)
I have just read Felt and Batten by Phil Vasili. One of the main characters is a MOSOP activist. It deals with, among other themes, the destruction of Ogoni by the oil companies. It is available on the webiste Lulu (see below for address). I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in a fictionalised account of the Ogoni struggle.
http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?search_forum=-1&search_cat=2&show_results=topics&return_chars=200&search_keywords=&keys=&header_search=true&sitesearch=lulu.com&q=&fSearch=felt+and+batten&fSearchFamily=2&fSubmitSearch..x=9&fSubmitSearch.y=11