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The Activist Archive and Social Justice Agendas: Considering the Role of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Archive in Micro-Minority Identity in the Niger Delta

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 April 2022

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Between 1990 and 1995, Ken Saro-Wiwa led a prominent peaceful campaign for the recognition and just treatment of his community by the military dictatorship of General Abacha. As author and activist, he wrote - and generally self-published - across a huge range of genres: novels, plays, short stories, children's tales, poetry, histories, political tracts, diaries, satires, and newspaper columns. He used the versatility of the written medium to speak out internationally about the abuses suffered by his small Niger Delta minority community, the Ogoni. Meanwhile, his efforts at home as leader of MOSOP, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, helped to mobilise a mass protest, 300,000-strong, against Shell Oil in January 1993, following which the company withdrew from the area. He was hanged on 10th November 1995 on trumped-up murder charges along with eight fellow Ogoni activists.

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Other Articles
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Copyright © International African Institute 2016

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References

References

Cane, H. (2015) Personal Interview about the Ken Saro-Wiwa Digital Archive Project, 16th August.Google Scholar
Saro-Wiwa Jnr, K. (2015 a) Personal Interview about the Ken Saro-Wiwa Digital Archive Project, 16th July.Google Scholar
Appadurai, A. (2003) Archive and aspiration. In Brouwer, J. and Mulder. A, eds., Information Is alive: art and theory on archiving and retrieving data. Rotterdam: NAi PublishersGoogle Scholar
Bastian, J A. (2003) Owning memory: how a Caribbean community lost its archives and found its history. Westport, CN: Libraries UnlimitedGoogle Scholar
Caswell, M. (2014a) Defining human rights archives: introduction to the special double issue on archives and human rights, Archival Science, 14, pp 207-213CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caswell, M. (2014b) Inventing new archival imaginaries: theoretical foundations for identity-based community archives, in Daniel D. and Levi A., eds., Identity palimpsests: archiving ethnicity in the US and Canada. Sacramento, CA: Litwin Books.Google Scholar
Harris, V. (2014) Antonyms of our remembering, Archival Science, 14(3/4), pp. 215-229CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kiikpoye, A. (2005) Truth without reconciliation: The Niger Delta and the continuing challenge of national reconciliation, The crisis of the state and regionalism in West Africa: identity, citizenship and conflict. Dakar: Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, pp. 112-135Google Scholar
Millar, L. (2002) The death of the fonds and the resurrection of provenance: archival context in space and time, Archivaria, 53, pp 1-15.Google Scholar
Ormond-Parker, L. and Sloggett, R. (2012) Local archives and community collecting in the digital age, Archival science, 12, pp 191-212CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saro-Wiwa, K. (1992) Genocide in Nigeria: the Ogoni tragedy. London: Saros International PublishersGoogle Scholar
Wallace, D. A., et al. (2014), Stories for Hope-Rwanda: a psychological-archival collaboration to promote healing and cultural continuity through intergenerational dialogue, Archival science 14, pp 275-306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Adelson, N. and Olding, M. (2012) Narrating Aboriginality On-Line: Digital Storytelling, Identity and Healing, The Journal of community informatics. Available at http://www.ci-journal.net/index.php/ciej/article/view/740/1004 (Accessed 23rd Aug 2015)Google Scholar
Cripps, C. (2014) Exploring my father's legacy: an interview with Zina Saro-Wiwa, The Independent [Online], 7th Jul. Available at http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/zinasarowiwa-exploring-my-fathers-legacy-9590268.html (Accessed 12 Aug 2015)Google Scholar
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Gyang, J. (2016) FG suspends Niger Delta summit indefinitely. Today Nigeria [Online] 25th Sept. Available at https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/186984/suspends-niger-deltasummit-indefinitely (Accessed 25th Sept 2016)Google Scholar
Maynooth University Library (n.d.) Podcast 5: Sister Majella McCarron - Ken Saw Wiwa arrested [Podcast] Ken Saro-Wiwa Audio Archive. Available at https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library/collections/ken-saro-wiwaaudio-archive#Recordings 1-8 (Accessed 6th Aug 2015].Google Scholar
Nixon, R. (1996) Pipe Dreams: Ken Saro-Wiwa, Environmental Justice, and Micro-Minority Rights, Black Renaissance 1.1 (Fall 1996) Available at http://english.wisc.edu/rdnixon/files/pipe_dreams.pdf. (Accessed 22nd Sept 2016)Google Scholar
Saro-Wiwa Jnr, K. (2015 b) I've seen Nigeria's old power at work. I know change is coming, The Guardian (Online), 14th Jun. Available at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/14/nigeria-changeis-coming-ken-saro-wiwa. (Accessed 24th Sept 2016)Google Scholar
The Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation [2015] Index on Censorship to publicise previously unseen material written by Ken. Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation.com. Available at http://www.kensarowiwafoundation.com/internationally-renowned-indexon-censorship-to-publicise-previously-unseen-material-written-by-ken/> (Accessed 22nd Aug 2015)+(Accessed+22nd+Aug+2015)>Google Scholar
The Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation, [2015] Mapping the Delta. Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation.com. Available at http://www.kensarowiwafoundation.com/mapping-the-delta/> (Accessed 22nd Aug 2015)+(Accessed+22nd+Aug+2015)>Google Scholar
United Nations Environment Programme (2011) Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland. Available at http://postconflict.unep.ch/publications/OEA/UNEP_OEA.pdf (Accessed 25th Sept 2016)Google Scholar
Vidal, J. (2014) Shell faces payouts in Nigerian oil spill case. The Guardian [Online], 20th Jun. Available from http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/20/shell-facespayouts-nigerian-oil-spill-case (Accessed 30th Jul 2015)Google Scholar
Jeta, Amata, (2014) Dawn in the Creeks. [Online film]. Available from http://www.dawninthecreeks.tv/ (Accessed 20 Jul 2015).Google Scholar
An earlier version of this article was presented as ‘Addressing community trauma with the Ken Saro-Wiwa Digital Archive’ at a SCOLMA Seminar, SO AS, London, 13th June, 2016.Google Scholar
Cane, H. (2015) Personal Interview about the Ken Saro-Wiwa Digital Archive Project, 16th August.Google Scholar
Saro-Wiwa Jnr, K. (2015 a) Personal Interview about the Ken Saro-Wiwa Digital Archive Project, 16th July.Google Scholar
Appadurai, A. (2003) Archive and aspiration. In Brouwer, J. and Mulder. A, eds., Information Is alive: art and theory on archiving and retrieving data. Rotterdam: NAi PublishersGoogle Scholar
Bastian, J A. (2003) Owning memory: how a Caribbean community lost its archives and found its history. Westport, CN: Libraries UnlimitedGoogle Scholar
Caswell, M. (2014a) Defining human rights archives: introduction to the special double issue on archives and human rights, Archival Science, 14, pp 207-213CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caswell, M. (2014b) Inventing new archival imaginaries: theoretical foundations for identity-based community archives, in Daniel D. and Levi A., eds., Identity palimpsests: archiving ethnicity in the US and Canada. Sacramento, CA: Litwin Books.Google Scholar
Harris, V. (2014) Antonyms of our remembering, Archival Science, 14(3/4), pp. 215-229CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kiikpoye, A. (2005) Truth without reconciliation: The Niger Delta and the continuing challenge of national reconciliation, The crisis of the state and regionalism in West Africa: identity, citizenship and conflict. Dakar: Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, pp. 112-135Google Scholar
Millar, L. (2002) The death of the fonds and the resurrection of provenance: archival context in space and time, Archivaria, 53, pp 1-15.Google Scholar
Ormond-Parker, L. and Sloggett, R. (2012) Local archives and community collecting in the digital age, Archival science, 12, pp 191-212CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saro-Wiwa, K. (1992) Genocide in Nigeria: the Ogoni tragedy. London: Saros International PublishersGoogle Scholar
Wallace, D. A., et al. (2014), Stories for Hope-Rwanda: a psychological-archival collaboration to promote healing and cultural continuity through intergenerational dialogue, Archival science 14, pp 275-306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Adelson, N. and Olding, M. (2012) Narrating Aboriginality On-Line: Digital Storytelling, Identity and Healing, The Journal of community informatics. Available at http://www.ci-journal.net/index.php/ciej/article/view/740/1004 (Accessed 23rd Aug 2015)Google Scholar
Cripps, C. (2014) Exploring my father's legacy: an interview with Zina Saro-Wiwa, The Independent [Online], 7th Jul. Available at http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/zinasarowiwa-exploring-my-fathers-legacy-9590268.html (Accessed 12 Aug 2015)Google Scholar
Flinn, A and Gilliland, A. (2013) Community Archives: what are we really talking about? Keynote Speech delivered at the CIRN Prato Community Informatics Conference 2013. Available at http://ccnr.infotech.monash.edu/assets/docs/prato2013_papers/gilliland_flinn_keynote.pdf (Accessed 10 August 2015)Google Scholar
Gyang, J. (2016) FG suspends Niger Delta summit indefinitely. Today Nigeria [Online] 25th Sept. Available at https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/186984/suspends-niger-deltasummit-indefinitely (Accessed 25th Sept 2016)Google Scholar
Maynooth University Library (n.d.) Podcast 5: Sister Majella McCarron - Ken Saw Wiwa arrested [Podcast] Ken Saro-Wiwa Audio Archive. Available at https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library/collections/ken-saro-wiwaaudio-archive#Recordings 1-8 (Accessed 6th Aug 2015].Google Scholar
Nixon, R. (1996) Pipe Dreams: Ken Saro-Wiwa, Environmental Justice, and Micro-Minority Rights, Black Renaissance 1.1 (Fall 1996) Available at http://english.wisc.edu/rdnixon/files/pipe_dreams.pdf. (Accessed 22nd Sept 2016)Google Scholar
Saro-Wiwa Jnr, K. (2015 b) I've seen Nigeria's old power at work. I know change is coming, The Guardian (Online), 14th Jun. Available at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/14/nigeria-changeis-coming-ken-saro-wiwa. (Accessed 24th Sept 2016)Google Scholar
The Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation [2015] Index on Censorship to publicise previously unseen material written by Ken. Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation.com. Available at http://www.kensarowiwafoundation.com/internationally-renowned-indexon-censorship-to-publicise-previously-unseen-material-written-by-ken/> (Accessed 22nd Aug 2015)+(Accessed+22nd+Aug+2015)>Google Scholar
The Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation, [2015] Mapping the Delta. Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation.com. Available at http://www.kensarowiwafoundation.com/mapping-the-delta/> (Accessed 22nd Aug 2015)+(Accessed+22nd+Aug+2015)>Google Scholar
United Nations Environment Programme (2011) Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland. Available at http://postconflict.unep.ch/publications/OEA/UNEP_OEA.pdf (Accessed 25th Sept 2016)Google Scholar
Vidal, J. (2014) Shell faces payouts in Nigerian oil spill case. The Guardian [Online], 20th Jun. Available from http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/20/shell-facespayouts-nigerian-oil-spill-case (Accessed 30th Jul 2015)Google Scholar
Jeta, Amata, (2014) Dawn in the Creeks. [Online film]. Available from http://www.dawninthecreeks.tv/ (Accessed 20 Jul 2015).Google Scholar
An earlier version of this article was presented as ‘Addressing community trauma with the Ken Saro-Wiwa Digital Archive’ at a SCOLMA Seminar, SO AS, London, 13th June, 2016.Google Scholar