Lagos — TWO weeks ago (on Sunday June 14), Vanguard published an article in which I complained about the fact that the innocent Ogoni elders - Edward Kobani, Albert Badey, Sam Orage and Theophilus Orage - who were assassinated in l994 by supporters of the late writer/activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, had been forgotten...

...while Ken, who was hanged by Abacha for inciting the above murders, had almost (unjustifiably, in my opinion) been canonized. I also expressed the view that those who blame Shell for Ken's death are being unfair. And I was gratified by the largely positive reaction that my article received from the general public.

Because I'd tried to be objective - I also praised Ken's strengths, said that I regretted his execution and described Shell's overall track record as unsatisfactory - hundreds of people contacted me to say that they felt that I'd handled a sensitive and complex topic in a balanced and mature manner.

But you can't please all of the people all of the time (or even some of the time!). And I've also been criticized by a handful of individuals (friends as well as foes), who either disagreed with some or all of the points I made or simply felt that my article was too divisive...and that I should have urged my fellow Ogonis to forget about the bitter mistakes of the past, instead of highlighting internal rifts.

Since I'm democratic and communicative by nature, I don't automatically resent people who challenge me. I actively enjoy the stimulating debates that can arise when intelligent and well-meaning folks confront me with their differences of opinion. I even, on occasion, wind up agreeing with my detractors.

It isn't unknown for me to admit (sometimes grudgingly!) that I am guilty of errors of judgement. But I can also be stubborn; and I feel obliged to stand by my article about Ken because I think that it was reasonable.

I also, while understanding those who would prefer factional grievances to be suppressed for the sake of peace, feel that anyone who wished to listen should be told various home truths...such as the fact that Ken was no saint and was not the only distinguished victim of the Ogoni crisis.

And I welcome this newspaper's civilized willingness to allow people who disagree with its columnists to air their views; but I was somewhat irritated when I read the hostile remarks that flowed from the pen of Patrick Naagbanton, an Ogoni from my village whose article was published in Vanguard last Sunday (June 28).

Naagbanton described my essentially rational article as a "convulsion" that was "gluttered with falsification".

He also accused me of "Goebbelian adroitness" and "infantile philippics" and assured readers that I had exhibited "a hidden hatred for the personality of the late Saro-Wiwa and his literary and journalistic legacies".

All I will say in response to Mr Naagbanton is that some (though not all) of the points he made were utterly nonsensical...and that he should, if he has enough guts, go meet the Kobani, Badey and Orage families and try to persuade them to share his view that their beloved patriarchs were "not murdered by a pro-Ken mob".