Week of June 13, 2009
Ken Saro Wiwa
Ken Saro-Wiwa in the home of his late father. A photo of the elder Saro-Wiwa hangs above him.
Description
In 1995, environmental activist and writer Ken Saro-Wiwa was hanged by the Nigerian government. His supporters said his "crime" was fighting against the exploitation of poor communities in the oil-rich Niger Delta. They sued Shell Oil, alleging that Shell colluded with the government in his death.
Shell has denied any wrongdoing, but this week the company agreed to pay a $15.5 million settlement to Saro-Wiwa's family and the families of eight other activists who were executed. Here's an excerpt from the book, In the Shadow of a Saint, written by Saro-Wiwa's son, Ken Jr.
