The Ken Saro-Wiwa archive includes a range of different documents, including letters, poems, photographs, video cassettes, articles and reviews relating to his life and work. The importance of the archive is that it captures in rich detail the last two years of Saro-Wiwa's life, and documents his transition from activist to political prisoner. The letters and poems in particular record themes such as the on-going struggle to protect the Ogoni people, growing instability in Nigeria, Saro-Wiwa's conditions during his detention, and the importance of his friendship with a nun from County Fermanagh, Sister Majella McCarron, during the final chapter in his life. Many of his letters to Sister Majella contain references to novels, short stories and other written material that he was working on. Poems, which are included in the collection, cover wide-ranging themes including the struggle of the Ogoni people, his prison conditions, love, and the tragic death of his son. His commitment to his people and their protection is unwavering, even when he himself is faced with death. Throughout his detention, and during some of the darkest chapters in his life, Saro-Wiwa reached out again and again, to his supporter and friend, Sister Majella or 'Sister M' as he often referred to her in his letters. Ken Saro-Wiwa was tried and sentenced to death by a special military tribunal. He was hanged on 10 November 1995, along with eight others. Here we showcase some of the photographs from the Ken Saro-Wiwa Archive.
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