Amilcar Cabral

Amilcar Cabral was born in what is now Guinea-Bissau (then Portuguese guinea) on the 12^th of September, 1924. Though he was born in Guinea-Bissau, his parents were from Cape Verde. This, in my opinion, gave him genuine concern for the well being of both nations. He studied in both Cape Verde and Portugal. In Portugal, he must have experienced what real development was like in the western world obviously with a view of the way these colonial masters were running the affair of his home countires.

He returned to Africa after his studies abroad. His quest to see the African Portuguese colonised countries led him to led him to create the African Party for the independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). Been a citizen of both countries. Amilcar then proceeded to lead a guerrilla warfare against the Portuguese with the PAIGC.

Amilcar set up base in what is now Guinea-Bissau. And from there he waged a guerrilla-type warfare against the Portuguese colonialists from the early 60’s until his death. He was focused on increasing the standard of living of the local populace.

Amilcar Cabral
(source:  http://www.vidaslusofonas.pt  )

Cabral was well liked across Africa. A deduction I come to due to the fact that the Ghanaian leader, Kwame Nkrumah let him set up base in his country. From there, he trained his troops.

 One of the many policies he put in place was to teach the local farmers how best to utilise their land. Even the soldiers, when they were not fighting had to help in the cultivation of the land. He also had a bazaar system in place to make needed commodities available to the countryside dwellers and people who would normally not be able two afford them. The bazaar went around the country.

Well, Amilcar Cabral, by wanting the betterment of the standard of living of his people had commited a crime against the powers that be. He had stepped on toes of those who had the interest in keeping the cape-verdeans shackled. He had croosed the invisible line by wanting to break the citizens of Guinea Bissau out of the metaphorical and, to some, even literal prisons they were in. Like Lumumba, Cabral had to go.

He was assassinated by a fellow lieutenant in his guerrilla army in 1973. Inocêncio Kani with the help of the Portuguese secret police killed him. It was actually a botched plan to arrest him and leave him under house arrest.

Yet again, another brilliant mind was snuffed out by the colonial powers. Amilcar was no more and the country was neocolonially in the control of the imperialists. His Other people took over from where he left, as is the case with most African countries, I think its safe to say the both countries never lived to their potentials. At least not the potential Amilcar Cabral saw in them.