João Lourenço paid Saturday a tribute to António Agostinho Neto who, if he were alive, would have been 100 years old, having laid a wreath in his sarcophagus, at the António Agostinho Neto Memorial, in Luanda.
The "prophetic and mobilizing vision" of Agostinho Neto's poetic work, his "humanist spirit, solidary and internationalist vocation" were extolled by João Lourenço in the honor book in his memory, also considering him an "intransigent fighter" for independence, freedom and well-being of the people".
"In his role as heir to the traditions of resistance of our ancestors and as a clairvoyant guide, Dr. António Agostinho Neto taught himself to trust in our forces and in the fairness of our struggle, and to be sure of the final victory, despite possible setbacks moments in our liberating process", reads the message.
President Neto, João Lourenço pointed out, "knew how to embody" the deepest desires and the most legitimate aspirations of the people for freedom and social justice, enshrined in his polished expression that "the most important thing is to solve the people's problems".
"To remember and celebrate the historical figure of Agostinho Neto is to set the highest example for the new generations to follow in the universal fight against all forms of oppression and exploitation of man by man", he added.
And in his message to the nation on the occasion of the centenary of António Agostinho Neto, released on Friday night, João Lourenço states that he intends to "remain faithful to the humanist political ideas" of Agostinho Neto.
"And we renew our commitment to continue to do justice to his memory to guarantee all Angolans the conditions of a better life, in terms of health, education, housing, work, culture and leisure", he said.
All together "we can build, in harmony and with commitment, the nation that would be a source of pride for its founder, Dr. António Agostinho Neto", concluded João Lourenço.
António Agostinho Neto, who was born in Icolo e Bengo on 17 September 1992 and died in Moscow on 10 September 1975, proclaimed Angola's independence on 11 November 1975.
