October 18, 2024.-The Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in the Federal Republic of Nigeria held an event this afternoon to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and Nigeria, which took place on July 1, and the Day of Cuban Culture. In a speech given by Ambassador Morales, she said: “On July 1, 1974, both countries demonstrated the continuity of the historical ties that began with the arrival of the first Africans, most of them from Nigeria. We are united by genes and that is indestructible because we share the same blood, an ancestral culture with the same rhythms, rites, drums, in our patriotic, rebellious and resilient idiosyncrasy, customs and religious beliefs.”
In these 50 years, work has been done to increase bilateral relations, especially economic and commercial relations, expanding the level of exchanges of possibilities and opportunities for business and investments. The signing of agreements, memorandums, and letters of intent in sectors such as health, education, science and technology, agriculture, sports, culture, energy; and especially in the training of more than 400 Nigerian professionals in Cuban territory and the exchange of pharmaceutical and biotechnology products.
On the other hand, Cubans celebrate our day of culture, because on that date the march that would become the National Anthem was sung for the first time, after the victory of the nascent Mambi army. The story goes that in the midst of the joy of the people of Bayamo, riding his horse, Pedro Figueredo heard the musicians begin to play their march and how the people supported it. At that moment, he crossed a leg over the horse's saddle and wrote the lyrics on a sheet of paper. That sheet was passed from hand to hand and multiplied. Thus, on October 20, 1868, in the first free city of Cuba, the birth of the National Anthem was completed.
This year, the people of Cuba are dedicating the day of culture, on the one hand, to the 120th Anniversary of the Birth of Alejo Carpentier, a Cuban-French writer who had a notable influence on Latin American literature. Critics considered him one of the fundamental writers of the 20th century in the Spanish language, and one of the architects of the Latin American literary renewal.
On the other hand, it is dedicated to the birth of the art instructors, a creation of our undefeated commander Fidel Castro Ruz whose objective was to organize and direct the Movement of Amateur Artists (MAA), and all the cultural work of the communities linked to the municipality throughout the country.
The celebration was attended by representatives of the Nigerian government, members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ministers, members of the solidarity movement with Cuba, businessmen and friends of the embassy, graduate students in Cuba, Cuban residents, the press and members of the accredited diplomatic corps.
(Embassy of Cuba in Nigeria)