The recent presidential pardon granted to the Ogoni Nine by President Bola Tinubu has drawn mixed reactions from activists and civil society organisations.

While many acknowledge the gesture as a step toward reconciliation, they insist that only a full exoneration can truly address the historic injustice.

The Ogoni Nine, including renowned environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa, were executed in 1995 under the regime of General Sani Abacha, following a controversial trial that was widely condemned both locally and internationally. Their deaths have remained a symbol of injustice and repression in Nigeria’s democratic history.

Environmental justice advocate and Ogoni-born human rights campaigner, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, welcomed the pardon but described it as insufficient.

“What the Ogoni people want for the Ogoni Nine is not a pardon, but exoneration,” he said. “A pardon suggests guilt; exoneration removes the stain of wrongdoing.”

Similarly, the President of a faction of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Fegalo Nsuke, echoed the call for a formal clearing of their names.

“A pardon implies the existence of an offence,” Nsuke said. “In the case of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his compatriots, it is clear that no legitimate crime was committed.”

Both activists are urging the Tinubu administration to initiate a judicial commission of inquiry that will revisit the 1995 tribunal and repudiate its findings. Such a process, they argue, would deliver moral and legal justice, while restoring the dignity of the slain activists.

“We humbly appeal that His Excellency goes further by pursuing a formal exoneration of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his fellow activists,” Nsuke said.

“This would be a stronger moral and legal correction, ensuring that their names are no longer burdened by the stain of injustice.”

As part of activities marking the 2025 Democracy Day, President Tinubu also conferred national honours on the Ogoni Nine. The move is seen as a significant acknowledgment of their contributions to environmental advocacy and national development.

However, activists are also calling on the Federal Government to recognise the sacrifices of the Ogoni Four—activists who also paid the supreme price during the struggle for environmental justice in the Niger Delta.

“We urge the Federal Government to consider extending national honours to the Ogoni Four, who made significant contributions to the struggle and paid the ultimate price,” Dr. Fyneface added.

“We commend Mr. President for honouring Barr. Ledum Mitee, CON, even as we continue to fight to ensure that the Ogoni Nine did not die in vain.”

The activists reaffirmed their commitment to promoting environmental justice, human rights, and good governance in Nigeria, and called on the government to take bolder steps to heal the wounds of the past through accountability and truth.