Africa-Press – Angola. The president of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola advocates for a more inclusive awards process, recognizing all those who fought for the country’s independence.
Adalberto Costa Júnior believes that the “paternity of independence” should be attributed to more personalities than just Agostinho Neto and regrets that partisan political issues are tainting the process.
Adalberto Costa Júnior understands that there is no coercion among the UNITA members who refuse the distinction, each of the personalities who have been invited has the option of being able to go and receive them and is not limited to UNITA.
I’ve seen MPLA members refuse the awards, and so if I were governing this country, I would pay some attention to the arguments, including those of MPLA members, who refuse to accept them. I would pay some attention to members of civil society who don’t feel honored enough to receive them.
The politician says he understands the root of the problem for those who reject recognition among politicians and members of civil society. Angola has national fathers whose recognition the National Assembly has refused. Angola doesn’t have one national father; Angola has three national fathers.
Therefore, he prescribes the recipe for what, in his view, would be the solution. The struggle for independence preceded the formal Angolan state, so it’s a huge mistake to say that Agostinho Neto is different from the others because he was president.
But to become president, there was a prior struggle, everyone participated in making independence a reality. So those contributions to independence have the same value, and hence the conclusion.
There’s clearly an attempt to always maintain our position above others, a failure to recognize the role of others, a position of arrogance over others. This is what many Angolans have been saying. I don’t see myself in this kind of situation; it’s so easy to overcome. It would be so wonderful if we could reach 50 years of independence and all be united and together.
The award process is now in its third phase. This Wednesday and Thursday, more than 600 individuals were recognized for their contributions over the past 50 years.
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