• MOSOP: it’s time to immortalise Saro-Wiwa

The family of the Founder of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr. Frederick Isiotan Fasehun, has protested the omission of their late patriarch from the list of June 12 heroes contained in yesterday’s Democracy Day broadcast by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Movement for The Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) also said the late environmentalist and writer Ken Sar-Wiwa ought to have been immortalised the way Chief MKO Abiola has been honoured.

In a statement in Lagos by the late OPC Founder’s son, Mr. Remi Fasehun, the family described the omission of Dr. Fasehun as uncharitable, ungrateful, and unpardonable.

“The President was a direct beneficiary of our father’s activism and sacrifice for democracy.

“Not only were they in the trenches together, (the late) Fasehun helped Tinubu to escape into exile.

“Several people, who escaped from the country into exile and joined NADECO-Abroad, including Pa Anthony Enahoro, were personally taken by boat and bush paths, through the NADECO Route, by Dr. Fasehun. He was at a point the link between Pa Enahoro-NADECO and NUPENG, the union that played a pivotal role in that struggle.

“He was thrown into prison several times by the General Sani Abacha junta, in Kirikiri, Ilorin, and Kuje. At the infamous Inter-Centre in Ikoyi Cemetery, he was held incommunicado for several months, an experience that inflicted immense damage on him, physically and psychologically, to the extent of leaving his vision impaired for life,” the family said.

In a statement in Port Harcourt by its Publicity Secretary, Saviour Oscar, MOSOP said the President did not recognise the sacrifices of the late Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni patriots who fought for democracy while recognising the late winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Basorun Moshood Abiola.

The statement reads: “We thank Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for addressing Nigerians on her 25th Democracy Day. However, it is very sad that Mr. President did not recognise or make mention of the struggle of the Ogoni heroes, led by Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others, who laid down their lives for the rights of the indigenous people.

“We, the Ogoni, have been very much supportive and have contributed so much to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP); so, it’s unfortunate that Mr. President recognised the struggle of MKO Abiola while failing to acknowledge that of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogonis who paid the supreme sacrifice for what we enjoy today as a nation.

“It is still a painful experience for the people of Ogoni that we lost a generation of industrious sons who contributed immensely to the development of Rivers State and Nigeria at large and today, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, just like former President Muhammadu Buhari, recognised Abiola and the incident that led to his election bid and death while ignoring Ken Saro-Wiwa and others. It is painful and very worrisome…”

[TheNation]