- Attends Fidel Castro’s Memorial Centenary
Former Osun State Governor and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has called on the United States to lift its long-standing cultural and economic embargo on Cuba.
He made the appeal in Abuja during a centenary celebration in honour of the late Cuban leader, Fidel Castro.
The event, organised by the Cuban Embassy in Nigeria and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), drew diplomats, labour leaders, solidarity groups and friends of Cuba to reflect on Castro’s legacy as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.
Aregbesola, who spoke on behalf of the Nigerian Movement of Solidarity with Cuba, welcomed a delegation from Havana led by Fernando Gonzalez Llort, President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (ICAP), and senior ICAP official, Yahimi Rodriguez.
“As we honour Fidel Castro, we re-echo the annual demand of the United Nations General Assembly that the United States end its 63-year economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba. It is time for justice,” he said.
Aregbesola praised Cuba’s resilience in the face of economic and political pressures.
The ADC chieftain emphasised Cuba’s humanitarian contributions, particularly in the field of healthcare, where the country has sent thousands of doctors and nurses to various parts of the world.
He noted that this tradition of solidarity remained visible even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Cuba dispatched medical teams abroad while keeping its borders open.
He also highlighted Cuba’s decisive role in Africa’s liberation movements, recalling the country’s intervention in Angola against Apartheid South Africa, which helped secure independence for Namibia and laid the groundwork for the end of white minority rule in South Africa.
The gathering also served as a reminder of Nigeria’s historical ties with Cuba and renewed calls for international solidarity against policies seen as unjust to the Cuban people.
“Fidel was simply a humanist who sought to make the world a better place and strived to do so by personal example.
“Under his leadership, Cuba became a medical superpower that has sent more than 10,000 medical personnel across the world to care for millions of people.
“During Covid-19, while many countries shut their borders, Cuba not only left its own open to the needy but also sent doctors and nurses to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North America, Latin America and Africa,” Aregbesola said.
Recalling Cuba’s military support for Africa, the former Minister of Interior added that, “We Africans particularly remember Cuba as the only country that came to our defence when Apartheid South Africa invaded Angola. Their crushing defeat of the Apartheid forces eventually led to the independence of Namibia and South Africa.”
In his response, Fernando Gonzalez thanked Nigerians for their solidarity, describing the relationship between both countries as “a bond of shared struggle and mutual respect.”
He said Cuba would never forget the consistent support it has received from Nigeria at the United Nations and other international platforms.
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.
