The Politics of Bones: Dr. Owens Wiwa And The Struggle For Nigeria's Oil

by J. Timothy Hunt

The gripping story of a people’s battle against a corrupt government and a powerful oil company.

On November 10, 1995, Nigeria’s military dictatorship executed nine environmental activists. Among them was Ken Saro-Wiwa, the charismatic spokesman of the Ogoni people, whose land in the fertile Niger River delta has been grotesquely polluted by Royal Dutch Shell Corporation. During Ken’s incarceration on a trumped-up murder charge, his brother, Dr. Owens Wiwa, fought valiantly to save his life — even though he himself was on his government’s most-wanted list. When his quest failed, Owens narrowly escaped Nigeria with his life, fleeing the country on foot with his wife and newborn son, first to London, where he was embraced by the likes of Anita Roddick and Doris Lessing, and then to Toronto, where he now lives.

Owens Wiwa has taken up his brother’s environmental crusade and fought, against terrible odds, to have his brother’s remains returned to the family for a proper burial. His story is a heart-stopping saga of personal courage and official corruption, of individual selflessness and corporate greed, of a man’s abiding love for his brother and extraordinary determination to honour him.

Genres: Africa

389 pages, Hardcover

First published September 13, 2005

Reviews

[Marissa Slaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time! It is extremely informative and while I can't say it was enjoyable it was definitely inspiring. I highly recommend this to everyone - you will be a better person for having read this book.

[Fatara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was amazing. Understanding the rich and contentious history of Nigeria is so pressing.

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is rich and heartbreaking.

Documenting the atrocities that Dutch Royal Shell committed against the Ogoni people and the struggle the Wiwa family went through to return the bodies of wrongfully executed civilians this book is harrowing. While dense, I was surprised how well everything flowed together and I didn't feel like I got too bogged down. The retelling of Ken Wiwa's assassination is an important and gut wrenching story to tell.

Exposing the wrongs of Shell and how corruption hurt an entire community, this book is eye opening. The Wiwa family and many others faced terrible injustices that should be remembered and not repeated.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I've been boycotting Shell Oil for pretty much my whole life based on the plight of the Ogoni people of Nigeria and the executiion of Ken Saro Wiwa....thought it was about time that I learned more than just the bare bones of what has happened there from the late 60s until now.
The book chronicles Ken Saro Wiwa's activism against Shell, as well as the struggle on behalf of his youngest brother Owens Wiwa as he fled Nigeria and later as he worked to recover Ken's body after his assassination.

[Mariya]

NO