The Nigeria Movement of Solidarity with Cuba on Monday called on the United Nations and other human rights body to intervene with the view of ending the 56 years economic embargo of Cuba by the United States of America.
The coordinator of the group which comprises of NLC ,TUC and other civil society allies, Comrade Biodun Aremu told journalists in Abuja that Cuban people have the rights to decide their political system without interferance.
He described as counter productive the economic embargo, since they can’t access the international market to do business with other countries.
“The 56-year American economic embargo which stops Cuba from freely accessing the international market and trading with other countries, is counterproductive, unhelpful and should be lifted without further delay”.
Comrade Aremu also urge Nigeria and other African countries to emulate the development modules of Cuban, stressing that in Cuba what matters is human being, not his race, religion or beliefs.
He said Nigeria Movement of Solidarity with Cuba draw her inspiration from the fact that Cuba have contributed alot to liberation of Nigeria and Africans in general.
“It is in Africa’s interest to follow the development path of Cuba which guarantees free and qualitative health and education for all its citizens, gender equality as well as its ability to locally produce medicine and vaccines for its people.
“If Nigeria appoints competent persons into positions of authority like Cuba does, rather than base appointments on ethno-religious and regional considerations, the country will be on the path of development.
The future of Africa lies in the Cuban model of a people united under a patriotic and clear leadership which puts its people first in all matters”.
The labour leader also disclosed that the Afro-Cuban Conference and Festival which is a forum for Nigerians to interact with fellow Africans across the continent, brothers and sisters from Latin America including Cuba, and from the diaspora including the United States would hold in Abuja from September 23- 25, 2019.
The event which is the six editions would be holding at the Yar Adua Centre is expecting prominent personalities, top government officials, diplomats, leaders of industry, professionals, workers, informal economy leaders and civil society organisations at the three-day conference.
The group said African countries hold annual Afro-Cuban solidarity conferences partly because the historic bonds between the African Continent and Cuba extends from the first decades of the 19th Century when about one million Africans including Nigerians were taken to Cuba as slaves.
“The African people in Cuba like General Antonio Maceo, the Deputy Supreme Commander of the Cuban Army of Independence, constituted the bulk of freedom fighters who fought Spanish colonialism and brought freedom not only to Cuba, but to some other countries in Latin America.
Cuba by sending thousands of construction workers, teachers and doctors to African countries including Nigeria, has demonstrated unmatchable solidarity with the African people.
“In sending about 350,000 thousands soldiers to fight for Africa in Angola and Namibia which led to the military defeat of Apartheid and the liberation of Namibia and South Africa, Cuba displayed the greatest solidarity with the African people.
“There can never be a credible history of the African liberation struggle without the solidarity of Cuba.
Cuba sent hundreds of doctors to help fight and eliminate the Ebola plague in West Africa”.
