Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to initiate a thorough investigation into the unresolved deaths of several prominent Nigerians, including journalist Dele Giwa, former Attorney General Bola Ige, and pro-democracy activist Kudirat Abiola.
According to Soyinka, uncovering the truth behind these politically motivated killings would help bring long-overdue closure to the victims’ families and the nation.
Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos on Saturday, Soyinka suggested that Nigerians at home and in the diaspora may hold critical information that could aid efforts to unravel the mysteries surrounding the deaths.
The call for a probe came in the context of Nigeria’s Democracy Day, commemorated on June 12, 2025. During the rememberance President Tinubu delivered an address to the joint session of the National Assembly, during which he also conferred national honours on various individuals recognized for their roles in the nation’s democratic evolution.
While Soyinka commended the gesture of honouring those who fought for democracy, he noted that several notable figures had been excluded.
Soyinka, the author of The Lion and the Jewel (1959) emphasized that although the recipients represented a broader collective of democratic heroes, the absence of some names was a conspicuous oversight.
In a deeply personal reflection, the celebrated playwright and activist stated that he would dedicate his own award to the late Dr. Beko Ransom-Kuti. He described Ransom-Kuti as “a defender of human rights, champion of good governance, and campaigner for democracy,” highlighting his multiple incarcerations under successive military regimes as evidence of his commitment.
Soyinka, 90, also urged Nigerians to remember the gravity of the June 12 struggle, cautioning against trivializing the sacrifices made. “Many people died, and many others were greatly injured by the military junta, which killed, tortured and imprisoned Nigerians at the time,” he said.
His remarks come amid controversy surrounding the list of this year’s Democracy Day honourees. The Presidency, on Saturday, clarified that activist Aisha Yesufu and 35 other individuals had not been conferred with national honours, contrary to earlier reports.
The complete list of honourees, announced by President Tinubu on Thursday, June 13, included 66 individuals recognized during a joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja. Among those awarded posthumously were Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, former National Electoral Commission (NEC) Chairman Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, and Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late Chief MKO Abiola and a key figure in the pro-democracy movement.
In a significant development, President Tinubu also granted a posthumous state pardon to Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other members of the Ogoni Nine, decades after their execution by the Sani Abacha regime. The move represents a historic shift in Nigeria’s official stance toward the controversial environmental and human rights activists.
“I also confer posthumous national honours on Ken Saro-Wiwa (CON), the leader of the Ogoni Nine and his fellow travellers,” Tinubu announced.
“I shall also be exercising my powers under the prerogative of mercy to grant these national heroes a full pardon, together with others whose names shall be announced later in conjunction with the National Council of State,” he said.
Under the new national honours, each member of the Ogoni Nine, except Saro-Wiwa, was awarded the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), while Saro-Wiwa himself was conferred with the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
This is the first time any Nigerian president has publicly recognized the contributions of the Ogoni Nine to the country’s democratic and environmental justice movement. The state’s action signals a formal acknowledgment of the injustices they suffered and a step toward restoring their legacy.
The Ogoni Nine were all active members of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), which fiercely campaigned against the environmental devastation of the Niger Delta due to unchecked oil exploitation. Their execution in 1995, following a trial widely condemned as unjust and politically motivated, sparked international condemnation and led to Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth of Nations.
Those honoured alongside Saro-Wiwa include Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine.
Their deaths became a global symbol of the brutality of military rule in Nigeria.
Political analysts believe that Soyinka’s call for investigations into unresolved political assassinations serves as a reminder that even as Nigeria honours its past, there remain dark chapters demanding truth, justice, and accountability.
