Africa-Press – Cape verde. The wake of the journalist and former president of the Cape Verdean Olympic Committee (COC), Franklin Palma, will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, 20th, at 2pm, in the Hall of Acts of the Adventist Church, located in Plateau, Praia. Then, there will be a funeral procession towards the Várzea Cemetery, where he will be buried.
In fact, the Cape Verdean Olympic Committee reported this morning that it has already declared three days of mourning for the death of the person who was also Honorary President, Franklin Palma. Franklim Palma, remember, passed away on Saturday, 16th, in the city of Praia, victim of illness.
“A President, who marked the trajectory of the Olympic Committee, contributing exceptionally to its development and recognition in various spheres. An enthusiast and promoter of national sport who unavoidably supported the history of several national athletes and who perpetuated the Olympic spirit in Cape Verde”, wrote the COC in a note sent to our editors
It is worth remembering that Palma was also at the genesis of the creation of the Cape Verdean Olympic Committee, accompanying Antero Barros, first president, “in elevating the spirit and name of Cape Verde in its first steps in the Olympic Movement”.
The three days of mourning, decreed starting from last Sunday, the day of the Honorary President’s death, include the Olympic Flag at half-mast at the Committee’s headquarters; the cancellation of any Committee celebrations or events; tribute to the failure and communication of the physical passing to the International Olympic Committee, the Association of Portuguese Language Olympic Committees and the Association of African National Olympic Committees.
President of the Cape Verdean Olympic Committee (COC) for two terms
Franklin Palma was the second President of the Cape Verdean Olympic Committee (COC), succeeding in 2006 Professor Antero Barros, founder of the Institution. Palma served two terms, remaining in office until February 2014.
Among the highlights of his mandate are Cape Verde’s participation in the Olympic Games (OJ) in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, in the three Lusofonia games (Macau, in 2008, Lisbon, in 2009, and Goa, in 2014) and in the Africans 2011 in Maputo, Mozambique.
As reported in the book “Movimento Olímpico em Cabo Verde – 30 anos de História”, published in 2018 by Alfa-Comunicações, another achievement recorded during the presidency of Franklin Palma was his election in 2009 to assume the position of Deputy Secretary of Association of Portuguese Language Olympic Committees (ACOLOP).
Franklin Palma’s mandate was also marked by the fact that judoka Adysângela Moniz (+78 kilos) became the first female athlete from Cape Verde to qualify, on her own merit, for the Olympic Games, in this case, the Games London 2012, where Rubem Sança (five thousand meters) and Lidiane Lopes (one hundred meters) were also present.
One of the founders and director of the Cape Verdean News Agency (Cabopress), today Inforpress
In addition to being a unique figure in Cape Verdean Olympism, Franklin Palma was one of the founders and directors of the Cape Verdean News Agency (Cabopress), now Inforpress, and a prominent professional in national journalism throughout his career.
In fact, in the Cape Verdean media as well as on social networks, family, friends, professional colleagues and acquaintances made reference to the death of Franklin Palma, lamenting the departure of an important figure in Cape Verdean journalism and sport.
The Cabo Verde Journalists Union Association (AJOC) mourned the death of “the esteemed journalist Franklin Palma, one of the founding partners and member of the first board of directors of AJOC”.
“It is with regret that we recognize the significant legacy left by Franklin Palma, who played a crucial role in the development of the written press in Cape Verde. Your commitment and dedication were fundamental pillars for the advancement of journalism in our country”, says AJOC’s note of condolence.
Sponsoring the careers of several journalists
Franklin Palma sponsored the beginning of the journalistic careers of several professionals, many of them well known to the Cape Verdean public, such as Luís Carvalho, Rosana Almeida or José Mário Correia for whom Palma was “a friend, a teacher, a colleague, a mentor, a person of peace of mind.”
Luís Carvalho, a journalist at the Cape Verdean News Agency (Inforpress), who has worked for several other media outlets, lamented, on his Facebook page, that Franklin Palma had problems obtaining a visa for medical treatments in Portugal, ending up for giving up.
“It was with surprise that I received this news of Franklim Palma’s physical disappearance. When, in 1981, I started working in journalism, at the then weekly “Voz di Povo”, Palma was already there. He was, at the time, one of the veterans, along with Arnaldo Andrade, Carvalho Santos and Daniel dos Santos (Ney) and Arménio Vieira. He was one of those who welcomed me and gave me the support to be the journalist I am today. Palmita treated him affectionately, he was a distinguished journalist and a colleague always available to help others”, recalled Luís Carvalho.
The man goes, his work and legacy remain. Franklin Palma’s wake will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, 20th, at 2pm, in the Adventist Church’s Hall of Acts, located in Plateau, Praia. Then, there will be a funeral procession towards the Várzea Cemetery, where he will be buried.
For More News And Analysis About Cape verde Follow Africa-Press
