Introduction: On the 20th anniversary of the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa1

This special section of Extractive Industries and Society addresses the legacy of the Nigerian writer, environmental and human rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa on the twentieth anniversary of his hanging along with eight other Ogonis in November 1995. Saro-Wiwa conceived and led the most effective protest campaign against the activities of a transnational oil company the world has yet seen. His innovative juxtaposition of environmental and human rights issues, his highlighting the intertwined relationship between oil companies and a dictatorial regime, and the worldwide attention his death and the suffering of his Ogoni people brought to these issues fundamentally changed the relationships between extractive industries and their local host communities. This introduction highlights some of the arguments put forth by the various contributors to this special section and places them in a larger context. It also brings up to date some of the developments that have taken place in the Niger Delta in the 20 years since Saro-Wiwa’s hanging.