The body of Rui Mingas, who died in Lisbon on January 4th, arrived this Thursday in Luanda, the scene of the funeral ceremonies taking place in the former army block (Ex-R20) and where high figures were present this Thursday of the State, including João Lourenço, President of the Republic and the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party, which has governed Angola since independence in 1975.
The Portuguese ambassador to Angola, Francisco Alegre Duarte, also joined in the tributes to the nationalist, a "multifaceted man" and "many talents" who "will be greatly missed".
"He served Angola, he served the nationalist cause, but he also contributed to the friendship between Portugal and Angola", said Francisco Alegre Duarte, highlighting that Rui Mingas, who died aged 84, stood out in culture, music, sport, poetry, in diplomacy.
"He is a figure who arouses the greatest affection, both in Angola and in Portugal and we owe him a lot", he highlighted, adding that all of his work is well known in both countries, especially the "Meninos do Huambo", a song "at the service of the nationalist cause", but which contributed to bringing the two peoples together.
Mário Pinto de Andrade, MPLA deputy, academic and rector of the Lusíada University – the first private Angolan university, with the creation of which Rui Mingas was linked – expressed himself "sad and dismayed" by the death of the nationalist and co-author of the anthem of Angola, alongside the writer Manuel Rui.
He described Rui Mingas as a good citizen and friend, to whom he attributes the merit of having set great Angolan poets to music, such as the first Angolan President, António Agostinho Neto, Mário Coelho Pinto de Andrade or Viriato da Cruz, both founding members of the MPLA.
"Some of these poems were by poets of true Angolan nationalism who fought against Portuguese colonialism and Rui Mingas valued them, singing and setting to music these poems that remained in the collective of all Angolans as songs of resistance and love for Angola, marking an entire generation", he said.
In addition to his activities as a musician, ambassador, politician, Mário Pinto de Andrade highlighted his involvement in education, for his dedication to the Lusíada University project, which "contributed greatly to the formation of Angolan human capital".
The connection to Portugal was also made through sport, as Rui Mingas was a Benfica athlete, and diplomacy, having been ambassador in Lisbon in the 1990s.
"He took advantage of the bridges he had from his youth to strengthen cooperation between the Angolan State and the Portuguese State" and solidarity between the two peoples, declared Mário Pinto de Andrade, adding that "Angola needs to preserve the thought and contribution of its best children" because he is still building the nation.
Members of the executive were present at the funeral ceremonies, including the Minister of Culture, Filipe Zau, the president of the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira, presidents of the higher courts, the attorney general of the Republic and MPLA leaders, as well as some musicians.
The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, made a short visit to the site, accompanied by Ana Dias Lourenço, expressing in the message he left in the book of condolences his "deep consternation" at the death of Rui Mingas.
In addition to being a "symbol of resistance to colonial power", João Lourenço highlighted that several classics of Angolan music belong to him and highlighted the positions of political responsibility he held both externally and internally.
On Friday, Rui Mingas' body will leave the wake in a procession to the Carmo church, where a mass will be held, and then proceed to the Alto das Cruzes cemetery, where he will be buried.
