Helen Fallon

This book marks the 25th anniversary of the execution of Nigerian activist and written Ken Saro-Wiwa. The 21 essays, by international contributors, and 42 poems by new and established poets, are inspired by his ideals and activism. The volume includes contributions by people intimately connected with Saro-Wiwa. His brother Dr Owens Wiwa recounts how his older brother awakened and nurtured his awareness of the tremendous damage Royal Dutch Shell was doing to their homeland, in collaboration with the then Nigerian military government. His firsthand account of the brutality of the military government and its impact; his unsuccessful efforts to save the life of his brother; his time in hiding and subsequent escape, with his family, from Nigeria and his efforts to retrieve the remains of his brother for burial, makes for very moving reading. Likewise, Noo Saro-Wiwa shares her story of growing up in England with strong links to family in Nigeria, and the trauma of hearing of her father's execution while at University. Maynooth University, where the editor works as Deputy Librarian, holds the death row correspondence from Ken Saro-Wiwa to Sister Majella McCarron. McCarron provides two personal essays. One, a reflection on the events that shaped her work with Saro-Wiwa in Nigeria and her subsequent efforts to save the lives of the Ogoni 9: the second essay explores her experience as a table observer of the Shell to Sea campaign, which strove to have gas, discovered off the west coast of Ireland, refined at sea rather than inland. The damage that Shell has caused in Ogoni and the issue of redress are topics addressed in essays by experts including Mark Dummett, of Amnesty International, who investigated how Shell and other oil companies have caused or contributed to human rights abuses through their operations in the Niger Delta. Daniel Leader, a barrister and partner at Leigh Day's international law department, the firm who have led a number of ground breaking human rights cases, including a series of cases against Shell on behalf of Nigerian communities, explores the issue of legal redress. Architect, environmental activist, author and poet Nnimmo Bassesy's wide ranging essay presents Saro-Wiwa as activist and writer and creator of the Ogoni Bill of Rights, against the backdrop of the UNEP report of the Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland, which recorded that drinking water in Ogoni had benzene, a carcinogen, at over 900 times the level permitted, and the i

I Am a Man of Peace

Graham Walton

As the information landscape evolves and takes shape using traditional and new platforms, it is the role of Academic Libraries to take the lead in communicating, developing and informing these changes in timely and relevant ways. Experienced librarians and those new to the field seek out innovative and more effective way to engage with users and stakeholders. This book provides a variety of communication strategies for different user groups, taking into account the changing information landscape and the application and implications of social media developments. A major driver in higher education is the change in the scholarly communication model where initiatives such as Open Access, Institutional Repositories and Data Management are challenging previous practice whilst offering new opportunities for leadership. These communication developments provide opportunities for academic librarians who need the insight and awareness to take these chances. Librarian as Communicator provides research-based explorations of the above topics, covering developing areas and also the communication skills that are needed for the academic library to have a continuing role in the 21st Century. It was originally published as a special issue of the journal New Review of Academic Librarianship.

Helen Fallon

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