Cuban Embassy in Nigeria Commemorates 65th Anniversary of Cuban Revolution
Jerry Adesewo
It was an atmosphere of cultural unity and diplomatic camaraderie, with music, food, and drinks to complement, as members of the diplomatic and art community, government functionaries, and invited guests from the private sector joined the Embassy of Cuba in Nigeria on Thursday, January 11, to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Triumph of the Cuban Revolution, otherwise known as Cuban National Day.
The Cuban Federation, also known as the Republic of Cuba, is a socialist state that emerged from the revolution led by Fidel Castro in 1959, which overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. The revolution marked the restoration of Cuba’s national sovereignty and independence, which had been compromised by the United States’ intervention and dominance since the late 19th century. The Cuban Federation celebrates the triumph of the revolution every year on January 1 as a symbol of its resilience, dignity, and hope for the future.
Speaking at the event, Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Miriam Morales Palmero, said, “Today we assemble for two very significant commemorations: the birth, on January 1, 1959, of a sovereign and independent Cuba, and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between Cuba and the Federal Republic of Nigeria in July 1974,” a milestone to be celebrated with an elaborate event later in the year.
Miriam, a renowned people-oriented activist turned diplomat, enumerated the huge advancements that the Cuban Federation has made despite efforts by the United States of America to undermine its sovereignty and paint it as a failed nation.
“During the last six decades, that allegedly failed state has made possible 600,000 health professionals, rendering services in 165 countries; and more recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, 3000 members of the Henry Reeve Medical contingent were deployed to 30 countries around the world,” she said, adding conclusively that “Cuba has never failed and will never submit to the United States of America’s hegemonic and imperialist whims: We are no longer its colony. We are no longer its neo-colony and will never again be that ripe fruit they wish to pluck for themselves.”
The Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, represented by his Special Assistant, Dr. Rukkayat Gumi, commended the Cuban-Nigerian relationship, which had offered wide ranges of opportunities for Nigerian students in the past and even currently. The minister established the need for the relationship between both nations to be further strengthened, especially through the educational path, which has become a major area of strength for Cuba.
Hon. Kehinde Adu, President of the Afro-Caribbean Chambers of Commerce, in a chat with some African diplomats, underscored the need for African leaders to become more responsible and accountable. Referencing the crisis in Sudan, he said, “Take a look at Sudan: same people, same heritage, waging war against themselves, resulting in the death of their own people. Why can’t the welfare of our people be at the centre of everything that we do? Why can’t the African nations open their borders to one another, as Rwanda has done and Kenya is about to do?”
Aside from the diplomats, some of the dignitaries present at the event include the Director General of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, Mr. Issa Aremu; the immediate past Director General of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Victoria Akai; the President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, Mr. Dele Kelvin Oye; the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Mr. Joe Ajero; and a host of other invited guests.
