"At the Africa Cup of Nations, one Congolese fan stood motionless in the stands for 90 minutes. Not for a player, but for history. The pose honoured Patrice Lumumba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's first prime minister, a leader who stood for independence and paid for it with his life. Samantha Johnson looks at the history behind the gesture, and why it still matters."
"The pose honoured Patrice Lumumba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's first prime minister, a leader who stood for independence and paid for it with his life."
A Congolese fan stood motionless in the stands for 90 minutes at the Africa Cup of Nations to honor Patrice Lumumba. The gesture referenced Lumumba's role as the Democratic Republic of the Congo's first prime minister and his leadership in the struggle for independence. Lumumba became a symbol of anti-colonial resistance and was assassinated after independence, making him a martyr for many Congolese. Public acts of remembrance keep his legacy alive and link historical struggle to present political and national identity. The silent, game-length vigil demonstrated how sports events can become sites for political memory and protest.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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