Lifestyle

PHOTOS: Haunting photographs of Patrice Lumumba, Congo’s first Prime Minister, alongside his closest allies, Maurice Mpolo and Joseph Okito

Published

7 months ago

August 30, 2025

Haunting photographs of Patrice Lumumba, Congo’s first Prime Minister, alongside his closest allies, Maurice Mpolo and Joseph Okito, under guard as they await their fate, January 1961
It was not merely the image of three men under arrest, but of a young nation’s dream being strangled before it could take root.

Patrice Émery Lumumba was born on 2 July 1925 in Onalua, Kasai Province, in the Belgian Congo. By the late 1950s, as the winds of independence swept across Africa, he emerged as one of the sharpest voices against colonial domination. In 1958, he co-founded the Mouvement National Congolais (MNC), the first truly national party calling for unity in a country divided by ethnicity, class, and Belgian influence.

When Congo held its first elections in May 1960, Lumumba’s party triumphed, and on 24 June 1960, at just 34 years old, he was sworn in as the country’s first Prime Minister. At the independence ceremony on 30 June, before King Baudouin of Belgium and international dignitaries, Lumumba refuses to follow the expected script of polite gratitude. Instead, he delivered a speech that resonated with Africans everywhere and unsettled the colonial establishment. He spoke openly about the hardships of Belgian rule and reminded his people that independence had been won “through struggle and sacrifice, not a gracious gift.” That moment marked him as a symbol of African pride, and a target for those who opposed his vision.

Barely weeks after independence, Congo plunged into crisis. The army mutinied, their colonial officers supported the secession of the mineral-rich province of Katanga under Moïse Tshombe, and chaos spread. Lumumba turned to the United Nations, appealing for help to preserve Congolese sovereignty. But the UN limited its role to peacekeeping without challenging their colonizers involvement directly.

This left Lumumba increasingly isolated as his opponents consolidated power.

Seeking assistance elsewhere, Lumumba approached the Soviet Union. In the Cold War climate, this move raised concern in Western capitals. Western officials described Lumumba as a serious risk to Western interests, and their colonizers also worked with Katangan leaders to weaken him.

Internal betrayal cut deepest. Joseph Kasavubu, the ceremonial President meant to share power with Lumumba, announced Lumumba’s dismissal on 5 September 1960. Lumumba refused to step down, insisting on his legitimacy as the elected head of government. But days later, on 14 September, Colonel Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, an officer Lumumba himself had elevated seized power in a coup. Mobutu presented himself as neutral, but he was aligned with external backers. Lumumba was placed under house arrest by the very men he had trusted.

Still defiant, Lumumba attempted to escape in early December 1960 to Stanleyville (Kisangani), where his supporters had declared the Free Republic of the Congo. Betrayed en route, he was captured on 1 December by Mobutu’s soldiers. His humiliation began immediately: soldiers mocked him, paraded him through villages, and, according to some accounts, even forced him to swallow the written text of one of his own speeches.

On 17 January 1961, Lumumba and his closest allies; Maurice Mpolo and Joseph Okito were flown under guard to Katanga, then controlled by his rivals. During the flight, they were beaten by Congolese soldiers. In Élisabethville (today Lubumbashi), they were taken to a villa where Moïse Tshombe, Katangan officials, and colonial authorities awaited. That night, they were executed by firing squad.

In the days that followed, efforts were made to conceal what had happened. The authorities initially claimed that Lumumba had escaped custody and been killed by villagers. Few believed this, and when the truth emerged, it triggered outrage across the globe.

Protests and demonstrations broke out in many countries. In Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia), crowds gathered outside the Belgian embassy chanting slogans in Lumumba’s honor.

In Nigeria, demonstrations erupted in Lagos, Enugu, and Onitsha. In Lagos, protesters converged at Rowe Park in Yaba, and anger spilled over into attacks on foreign-owned businesses before being dispersed by police. Across Africa and beyond, Patrice Lumumba had become more than a man, he was a symbol of independence and dignity.

Even in his final hours, Lumumba remained unbowed. In his last letter to his wife Pauline, he declared that though he might not survive, the Congo’s dignity and freedom would endure. He wrote that history would not be written in Brussels, Washington, or Paris, but in Africa itself, by peoples who had thrown off colonial chains. “Africa,” he promised, “will write its own history, a history of glory and dignity.”

Patrice Lumumba was only 35 when his life was cut short. His death was the result of a web of betrayals: by Kasavubu, who dismissed him; by Mobutu, whom he had promoted but who seized power; by the United Nations, which failed to intervene; and by foreign powers who opposed his leadership. Yet in death, he rose higher than his enemies. His name adorned streets and monuments from Lagos to Belgrade, Accra to Cairo, and beyond.

For decades, his family pleaded for the return of his remains. In 2002, Belgium formally acknowledged its role in his killing, but no amount of recognition could erase the injustice. In 2022 they handed back one of his teeth, the last physical fragment of the man.

Patrice Lumumba’s life was brief, his time in office shorter still, but his vision for an Africa united in dignity and independence endures. He remains not only Congo’s first prime minister, but one of the immortal martyrs of African freedom.

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Post Views: 902

Lifestyle

Nollywood actress Sarah Martins apologises for roadside cooking

Published

2 days ago

March 11, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Nollywood actress Sarah Martins has formally responded to the Lagos State Government’s warning regarding her recent public cooking activity, clarifying that the event was an emotional reconnection with vulnerable children rather than a deliberate breach of environmental laws.

The response comes after the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on Saturday, cautioned the actress against cooking on public roads, warning that she risks arrest and prosecution if she continues the practice.

In an open letter posted on her Instagram handle on Sunday, Martins, the founder of the Sarah Martins Golden Heart Foundation, sought to set the record straight, stating that the meal was prepared in a controlled environment.

“I would like to respectfully clarify that I did not cook on the walkway or on the main street.

“The meal was prepared in front of the King’s Palace under the supervision of security personnel, and the activity took place very far from the main road, ensuring that it did not obstruct movement or create any public nuisance,” she wrote.

Explaining the motivation behind the act, the actress described it as a response to the pleas of street children she frequently encounters.

“The visit was simply born out of an emotional moment. I had deeply missed the bond I share with the vulnerable street children in that area,” she explained.

“As I occasionally drive past that axis, the children often plead with me to come back and cook with them like I used to. On this particular day, I decided to spend some time with them and prepare a meal, purely to reconnect and create memories with the kids who have always shown me genuine love,” she added.

The actress offered an apology to the state government for any perceived impropriety, saying, “My brief return to that location was never intended to create any form of public nuisance, but simply to share a heartfelt moment with children who have continued to ask for my presence.

“However, if my actions were perceived as inappropriate in any way, I sincerely apologide. I hold the laws and environmental standards of Lagos State in the highest regard.

“Going forward, I will ensure that all cooking activities are carried out strictly within the charity kitchen provided for the foundation.”

In her response, Martins also expressed gratitude to Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, noting that his donation of a charity kitchen was specifically intended to ensure her feeding programs are conducted in a proper and organised environment, which she said her foundation remains committed to using.

PUNCH Online reports that Martins was arrested in October 2025 by KAI officials while she was cooking on a road median in Lekki, seizing her equipment.

The Lagos State Government defended the operation, with Wahab stating that the actress had engaged in unauthorised activities on public infrastructure in contravention of environmental and sanitation regulations.

While she previously claimed to have received ₦20 million from his office, Seyi Tinubu reportedly denied making the donation personally, saying some friends, moved by compassion, had raised funds to help her secure a proper space for her charity work, but stressed that he did not support any act that violated Lagos State laws.

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Post Views: 39

Lifestyle

My father fought well to stay alive – Onigbinde’s son

Published

3 days ago

March 10, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Mr Oyekunle Onigbinde, the last child of the late national coach Festus Onigbinde, has said that although his father was sick, he fought well to stay alive.

Oyekunle made the remarks in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan on Tuesday.

Describing his father as a generous man who cared for everyone, Oyekunle said his death on Monday came as a huge shock.

“He fought well to stay alive.

“He was sick, but due to old age, his body couldn’t fight the recovery.

“My father was very accommodating; he pulled everyone together.

“He didn’t care who you were; he just wanted everyone happy and united.

“He was the string that knitted many together,” he said.

Meanwhile, renowned sports analyst Tayo Balogun told NAN that his 40-minute phone conversation with Onigbinde in 2025 would forever linger in his memory.

“We went down memory lane, and I thanked him for being who he was: painstaking, foresighted, forthright, forthcoming, and incredibly hardworking.

“I told him I appreciated him and that I was calling to let him know that his contributions to Nigerian football will always be footnoted in history.

“During the call, I noticed his voice had lost some of its vibration. He attributed this to old age, claiming he was as fit as a fiddle.

“He asked after my TV Gang of Feyi Ogunduyile and Modele Sarafa-Yusuf (then known as Oshiinaike),” he said.

Balogun said he praised Onigbinde for his contributions to Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC).

“He actually changed the name from IICC Shooting Stars.

“I asked him if he remembered that I asked him why he was practising penalty kicks after 3SC had comprehensively beaten Tonnere Kalara Club of Yaounde at the Liberty Stadium, just before the second-leg match.

“He told me Remi Asuni, the then Oyo State FA Chairman, asked him the same question and that he answered, ‘If we can beat them 4-0 in Ibadan, they may pay us back in Yaounde,’” he said.

The 73-year-old analyst said he also praised Onigbinde for his bravery in selecting players for the 2002 World Cup.

“I told him I understood why he included Mutiu Adepoju, but did not understand why he didn’t play him in any of the matches.

“He said that was the only mistake he made, but that if I noticed, we were quite close in all the matches we played, and if he brought in Mutiu and we lost, it would be blamed on Adepoju,” he said.

Balogun described Onigbinde as the most thorough Nigerian coach he knew.

“Each year, he would draw up a list of requirements for his team.

“With Shooting Stars, he would get 20 per cent, and with the Eagles, he didn’t even get 10 per cent.

“All the same, he got spectacular results with both teams.

“He was the first coach to take a group of rookies like Chibuzor Ehilegbu, Paul Okoku, Femi Olukanmi, and others to Ghana and beat the then-dreaded Black Stars in their country.

“Onigbinde’s memory will remain indelible.

“He was a gentleman, humble, and highly intelligent.

“I am glad I got to know you, sir,” he said.

(NAN)

punch.ng

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Post Views: 47

Lifestyle

The Name Given To Me By My Parents Was A Curse – Phyna

Published

5 days ago

March 8, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Reality TV star, Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has opened up about the struggles she faced while growing up and why she does not like the name given to her at birth.

During a recent interview with Ezinne Akudo on the show Beyond With Ezinne, the former Big Brother Naija winner said her parents named her Blessing, but she came to dislike the name because her life did not reflect its meaning.

It was reports that Phyna explained that as she was growing up, many parts of her life were very difficult.

According to her, she often felt like she was always begging for love from people around her, including family members, friends and even in relationships.

She said the situation made her feel as if the name Blessing did not match the experiences she was going through.

The reality star also spoke about the pain she felt after the death of her sister. She said the loss deeply affected her, and at one point, she even wished she could die because of the emotional burden she was carrying at the time.

She said, “The name given to me by my parents is Blessing. My reasons for hating that name was you don’t see sense of blessing in my life. Because you know, it felt like I was always begging for love, family love, friendship, even in relationships. In fact, Dem don use am curse me. All aspects of life for me, growing up was very crazy. Even when you’re a teenager, there are things you could get from parents, from friends, family I didn’t have that, but I knew for one that I was going to be big.

“Then I always tell my aunts, everybody, even when they beat me or maltreat me, today, the next minute I will see when I go watch me for television, you know, I go get money. People always say negative things about me. Even when I’m trying my best, it affects me. It affects my workload. They are quick to broke shame me. In fact, when my sister died, I wanted to die. A lot was going on with me. It actually makes me feel God is with me because so many things have happened that I suppose don really run mad.”

FOLLOW US ON:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

TIKTOK

YOUTUBE

LINKEDIN

TUMBLR

INSTAGRAM

Post Views: 97