Maria, late Ken Saro-Wiwa’s wife, dies

• MOSOP mourns
Maria Kpugisi Saro-Wiwa, wife of the late environmentalist and activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, has passed on in London at age of 73.

Announcing her death in a statement, Noo Saro-Wiwa said it was the end of a life that wouldn’t be believed if it were written as a novel.

Born in Bane village, she got married to the late activist in 1966.

He said: “She trained as a teacher in Benin before moving back to Port Harcourt and later started a new life in England. It was a huge culture change for a woman who had physically helped build her childhood home with adobe and thatch.

“Before her demise, she raised five children being the wife of the late Ken, who died in 1993. Yet she learned to adapt, creating a stable home life for her children despite all the tumult.
 
“When the environmentalist died, she had the strength to coax us out of bed on the morning of his funeral and put on the mourning clothes she had bought for us.”

MEANWHILE, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) is mourning the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa’s wife, saying the news of her demise came to the organisation as a shock.

A statement signed by its President, Fegalo Nsuke said: “We will all miss her just as we all missed her beloved husband many years ago. Our condolences go to the family she left behind.”

It further stated that a condolences register has been opened at the MOSOP Secretariat, Bori-Ogoni, saying: “We will provide a directive as the family unveils burial arrangement.”