Ken Saro-Wiwa
Silence Would Be Treason; Last Writings of Ken Saro-Wiwa
Ken Saro-Wiwa's last writings are found in this compilation of letters and poems. By reading his letters that were sent to Sr. Majella, readers are able to get strong sense of the passion Saro-Wiwa had in his cause and for the justice of the Ogoni people. The letters consist of information explaining what the current situation is involving his detention, where the movement MOSOP is at going up against officials, as well as giving insight on his personal life and beliefs. While he was in detention he writes of his living conditions. Although he was not allowed to have visitors or the right to speak to his lawyer or doctor, Saro-Wiwa managed to remain in high spirits.
Along with the poems and letters, Saro-Wiwa's detention diary gives an in depth look towards the thoughts of the leader during his detainment. By experiencing first hand the motions of imprisonment for the cause of justice for the Ogoni people, readers are given the chance to place themselves within the movement. Each daily account of Saro-Wiwa contains traces of courage laced with confidence in the cause. This hopeful demeanor heeds towards the importance of perseverance through adversity and the promise of a better future.
"I have great faith in God, in the justness of my cause & in the belief in eventual VICTORY."
[This page needs significant attention and development. Include the authors' byline and develop your reading of Saro-Wiwa's works with more concrete details of scenes and passages from the writings. Shouldn't there also be a section here on A Month and a Day? Engage with the secondary scholarship of Rob Nixon ("Pipedreams" chapter from Slow Violence we all read early on) and Ogaga Okuyade. Along with way, you'll need to provide some context--for example, explaining what MOSOP is (or at least spelling it out the first time) and cross-referencing with the context pages of our site.]
