Ken Saro-Wiwa Jr. Is Dead

The eldest son of the late Ogoni activist, prolific journalist, and former adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Ken Saro-Wiwa Jr. is dead.

A source close to the family told The New Diplomat that the deceased has been facing health challenges for sometimes before he finally gave up the ghost on Tuesday. “He only had an attack few days ago and he died in London today”.

The death of an environmental Icon and a true son of Niger-delta who believed in the emancipation of his region, left the family and friends in a devastating mood.

He described his death as a colossal loss to the nation, Niger-delta and to the family.

Journalistic Experience

Born 1968, Saro-Wiwa Jr. has produced and narrated television and radio documentaries for the BBC and CBC. He has written commentaries for National Public Radio. His memoir of his father, In the Shadow of a Saint, won the 2002 Hurston-Wright Nonfiction Award.  In 2005 he was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader.

The prolific write was the Founding Curator of the Abuja Hub for the Globalshapers Programme of the World Economic Forum and has also served on the Africa Advisory Council of the Prince of Wales Rainforest Project.

He has written for The Guardian in the United Kingdom, The Washington Post, New York Times and National Geographic. He serves as an Editor-at-Large for Arise Magazine and continues to contribute occasional columns for magazines, newspapers and blogs.

In 2005 he returned to Nigeria and the following year former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him as his Special Assistant on Peace, Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation. He served President Umaru Yar’Adua as the Special Assistant on International Affairs. As of 2013 he was serving as an aide to President Goodluck Jonathan as the Senior Special Assistant on Civil Society and International Media.