Mixed reactions trail Tinubu’s presidential pardon of ‘Ogoni Nine’

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to grant a posthumous presidential pardon to the “Ogoni Nine” has sparked a wave of mixed reactions across social media platforms.

The announcement, made via the president’s official X handle on Thursday, comes shortly after Nigeria commemorated Democracy Day on June 12. In the post, Tinubu revealed that he had also conferred national honours on 139 distinguished Nigerians in recognition of their contributions to the country’s democratic development.

Of the 139 recipients, 67 were honoured posthumously including the “Ogoni Nine,” a group of environmental activists led by renowned writer Ken Saro-Wiwa, who were executed by the Abacha regime in 1995 under controversial circumstances.

“In addition, I exercised my constitutional powers to grant a presidential pardon to the ‘Ogoni Nine’ who were also honored with national recognition,” Tinubu wrote.

The move was part of broader efforts by the administration to recognize those who have made sacrifices for the growth of democracy in Nigeria. However, the pardon immediately drew divergent views online.

While some netizens welcomed the decision as a long-overdue gesture of reconciliation and justice, others criticized it as symbolic and lacking any real impact, given that the activists were executed nearly three decades ago.

Others questioned the sincerity of the government’s gesture, especially amid growing concerns over human rights abuses and governance issues under Tinubu’s administration.

Read some netizens’ reactions below;

@Adetutu: I have soo many questions. But this is the most important of allWho are the “Ogoni nine” & what heroic act did they do?

@Gifted Hands: You have to resign. That’s the greatest honour u Il render to over 200 million Nigerians. Can you do that?

@Michael Oyewole: Honour Nigerians by resigning.

@SobizEfe:Congratulations

@WaleXblaze: It is well.

The “Ogoni Nine” — Ken Saro-Wiwa, Barinem Kiobel, John Kpuinen, Paul Levura, Saturday Doobee, Felix Nuate, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko and Baribor Bera — were convicted by a military tribunal on charges widely believed to be politically motivated, following their campaign against environmental degradation in the oil-rich Ogoni region of the Niger Delta.

Their execution drew global outrage at the time, leading to Nigeria’s temporary suspension from the Commonwealth and widespread condemnation from international human rights organizations.