Written and compiled by a Nigerian student activist

The modern English writer T.S. Eliot once said "Not everything can go round but BIRTH and DEATH would surely go round".

Last year, on the 10th fateful day of November 1995, our dear friend - Comrade Kenule Benson Saro-Wiwa and his eight other Ogoni tribemen were "judicially murdered" through the most barbaric and most primitive form of punishment - DEATH BY HANGING ever known to humanity in recent times. The international questions are still under debate thus: Is it a crime to forbid what is wrong and demand for the right thing? Is it a criminal offence to reject compromise and demand for truth, equality and justice? Is it not also a crime against humanity to keep silent in the face of tyranny and persecution? Is it an offence to kick against the dictatorial plunder and unchallenged destruction of both the human and natural resources in one's fatherland? Is it not an unforgiveable sacrilege and callous rape on humanity to collaborate, conspire and connive with the tyrants and oppressors of the world? If our answer is capital NO, then the brutal hangmen and their controllers have murdered sleep for hanging Ken and others, and they shall sleep no more. What a shame?

According to the English Philosopher of the blessed memory - Edmund Burke who says "The hottest place in hell must be rightly reserved for those who in time of moral crisis maintains their absolute neutrality and indifference mute". Ken Saro Wiwa and his eight other Ogoni environmental activists have no place in hell but their killers instead! We are all waiting .........

Blessed are those that fought and died for truth, justice and total liberation of their fellow countrymen and countrywomen. For they shall never be forgotten. Their heroic names shall forever be written in gold and diamond.

Oh Death! Death!! Death!!! where is thy sting? Grave, where is thy glory? Shortly after your devise from this sinful world, your remains were criminally acidified in order to increase the decomposition. How can a man be more brutal the BRUTUS? Instead for Mr. Sani Abacha and company to face the message, they are looking for the messenger. It is easier to destroy the messenger, but it is not easy to destroy the message. Ken Saro-Wiwa - our dear patriot, your life was historic, your "programmed" trial was heroic but the final verdict was too tragic for us to bear. The whole world is yet to recover from the rude shock of your death. Last year, my anger boiled like the surging waves against the restive bank on hearing the sad news.

Death by hanging, how cruel is the agony? Thereby jolting us all to the tragic end of human fraility.

Ken Saro-Wiwa, the great writer, poet, social critic, human rights activist, philosopher, philanthropist, dedicated democrat and renowned environmental activist. We are really missing you because you were the VOICE OF THE VOICELESS. What a pity!

Our dear Ken, sleep on, pipe on and keep on the Nigerian struggle for democracy and human rights protection over there. Kindly extend our warm greetings to slain Nigerians like Dele Giwa, Alfred Rewane, Omotehinwa, Kudirat Abiola Bisoye Tejuosho and many dead unsung heroes and heroines of this great country in the black continent of Africa.

Goodbye, our dear Countrymen. We shall meet to part no more. Rest not in peace until you avenge your brutal death. We shall continue to weave words into garlands in order to have more than enough wreaths at your graveside. Thanks.