Silence Would Be Treason

de Ken Saro-Wiwa, Ide Corley, Helen Fallon, Laurence Cox

"These letters and poems are invaluable fragments of a living conversation that portrays the indomitable power in humans to stay alive in the face of certain death- to stay alive even in death. Reading through the treasure trove complied here evokes intense memories of Ken's resolute struggles against an oil behemoth and a deaf autocratic government. His crusade frames one of the most tumultuous periods of Nigeria's history; his tragic story evokes anger and demands actions to resolve the crises that first led the Ogoni people to demand that Shell clean up Ogoni or clear out of the territory. It was his leadership, in great part, that forced Shell out of Ogoni in January 1993. Never did the pressures of the tyrannical government dent Ken's vision for an Ogoni free of pollution, oppression, and exploitation. He worked until his death to secure the dignity of the Ogoni and by extension, of other oppressed Nigerians and of all humanity. -- Publisher description