Despite his stated commitment to returning the country to democracy, Abacha's government was accused of human rights abuses, especially after the hanging of Ogoni activist Ken Saro-Wiwa by the Oputa Commission ( only one of several executions of Ogoni activists opposed to the exploitation of Nigerian resources by the multinational petroleum company, Royal Dutch Shell Group ); Abiola and Olusegun Obasanjo were jailed for treason, and Wole Soyinka charged in absentia with treason.

Despite of his nearly confirmed treason, upon Wayne ’ s death, the President promoted Wilkinson to Major General of the Legion Army.

Despite Ludlow's efforts of bringing these parties together, he was accused by some members of the Parliament of treason for having conspired with the Wallingford House party, who to these same members of Parliament seemed to be against the restoration of the original republic and only for their own continuance.

Despite asking for clemency from the King, Riego was found guilty of treason as he was one of the members of parliament who voted in favor of taking the power from the King.

Despite a dramatic appearance by Lord Nelson as character witness on his behalf, Despard was found guilty by the jury of high treason, and sentenced, with six of his fellow-conspirators ( John Wood and John Francis, both privates in the army, carpenter Thomas Broughton, shoemaker James Sedgwick Wratton, slater Arthur Graham, and John Macnamara ), to be hanged, drawn and quartered.

Despite his family's poor background, he performed well after entering the Church and rose quickly through the ranks.

Despite this advantage of his family's status, the Hong Kong neighborhood Lee grew up in became over-crowded, dangerous, and full of gang rivalries because of the mass number of people fleeing communist China to Hong Kong,:

Despite submitting to Otto III, Crescentius shut himself in his family's stronghold, the Tomb of Hadrian, out of fear of retribution.

Despite her family's objections, soon they were living together, and although Hébuterne was the current love of his life, their public scenes became more renowned than Modigliani's individual drunken exhibitions.

Despite the rumors, the imperial family's association with Rasputin continued until Rasputin was murdered in 1916.

Despite his family's disbelief, Elliott lures the alien from the forest to his bedroom using a trail of Reese's Pieces candy.

Despite the rumors, the imperial family's association with Rasputin continued until his murder on December 17, 1916.

Despite later reverses in the family's fortunes, on 13 August 1504 their only child, Jeanne de Commines ( d. 1513 ), made a splendid marriage to the heir of Brittany's most powerful family, René de Brosse comte de Penthièvre ( d. 1524 ).

Despite his family's objections and the added pressure of raising a second daughter, France, born on 12 July, Brel left Brussels for Paris in the fall of 1953.

Despite his advocacy for modern methods of organization, including crews of soldiers doing the bulk of a family's illegal work under the supervision of a capo, at bottom Maranzano was a " Mustache Pete " — an old-school mafioso too steeped in Old World ways.

Despite his family's precarious financial situation, his grandfather and uncles made sure the young Giuseppe received a solid education: he was taught by a tutor and later became a novice in the Catholic Order of St. John of God, from which he was eventually expelled.

Despite the family's mainly Jerusalem ancestry, some members of the family were from Beirut, in what is today Lebanon.

Despite the family's long history of Catholicism, Viscount Gage had adopted the Anglican Church in 1715.

Despite being involved in several tragedies in his family's acts, Wallenda continued with his stunts.

Despite his youth, he had demonstrated his strength in several general elections when he had been able to get as many as twenty MPs elected to seats he controlled through his family's wealth and political patronage.

Despite her family's lack of money, Belle received a good education.

Despite being slashed several times with a straight razor, Stretch grabs a chainsaw held by the mummified remains of the family's grandmother in a ritual shrine in the rock tower.

Despite his family's ancestry being mostly white and himself being blond-haired, blue-eyed, and very fair, White and his family identified as black and lived among the Atlanta black community.

Despite his inexperience, Bronfman's involvement was accepted because of his connections and access to financing through his family's wealth.

Despite their vast differences, she recognizes Dharma's place in their family's life, once famously telling her " We both know you're not the girl I would have picked for Greg.

Despite her family's wealth and high social status, Edie's early life was troubled.

Despite the press campaign against Germans, Germanophobic feelings did not develop in Russia to any widespread extent, and died out, due to the Imperial family's German roots and the presence of many German names in the Russian political elite.

Despite his family's straitened circumstances following the death of his father, Richard Jr. attended a private boarding school and the University of Kentucky.

Despite the Tresham family's close links with the royal court they were also on good terms with Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and when he returned from Ireland in 1450 Tresham and his father went to greet him.

Despite all his faults, Junior loves his father as well as his mother, but infuriates them with one small action-his love for a zebra ( specifically, Zebra's niece ).

Despite having at least two children still alive but not at home, his sole heir was stated to be Bridget Mary Anne Dobson, a married niece who was caring for, and residing with, him at the end.

Despite his Jewish ancestry, and his relationship with Hitler's niece, Geli Raubal, Maurice was first and foremost a loyal companion to Hitler.

Despite poor health, May chose to go to Buenos Aires to teach the Faith along with her niece.

Despite the strong objections of Head Writer Rose Schwartz and Celeste herself, the scene plays out, but is interrupted by Celeste's recognition of Lori as her real-life niece.

Despite his love for Louise and his promise to be an obedient husband, Count Alfred finds his role as a figurehead unbearable.

Despite having failed to have established his authority over the Midi, he was crowned King Henry III, at Rheims February 1575, marrying Louise Vaudémont, a kinswoman of the Guise, the following day.

Despite Louise Françoise surviving and giving her husband ten children, the Prince himself became ill ; most said it was from worry about her health.

Despite her mother's efforts to induce a miscarriage by means of riding, Anna Maria Luisa de ' Medici, the only daughter and second child of Cosimo III de ' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and his consort, Marguerite Louise d ' Orléans, was born in Florence on 11 August 1667.

Despite being directly questioned by the King, Louise refused to tell her lover about the affair between Henrietta and the comte de Guiche.

Despite having actively supported the National Socialist movement since its early stages all through their accession to power in 1933, the Queen Louise League was nonetheless disbanded by the Nazis in 1934, as they viewed it as a hostile organization.

Despite being the innocent party, Louise was parted from her children and died at 30.

Despite the stalker-like intents of powerful sea mogul Murad Reis, Robert takes Louise as a mistress, who eventually bears his first son James.

Despite later on being involved with Sarah Louise, Jason always despised Gail and even though his mother Eileen is now friends with Gail, Jason still hates her.