We remember Patrice Lumumba’s widow Pauline Opango who continued her husband’s fight for his people. She continued the fight till 2014 when she passed away.

What exactly did she do to be known as an activist? Pauline took part in the nationalist struggle for independence. After his execution, she protested his death and demanded his corpse by walking bare – chest through the streets to the UN headquarters in Leopoldville.

Opango Lumumba spoke against the continuous exploitation of the natural resources of DRC. She led the protests in Congo against the exploitations. These protests endangered her life and those of her children. They had to go on exile in Egypt like Jesus and His parents. Her husband’s enemies wanted them dead.

Mr.and Mrs. Lumumba got wed nine years before DRC independence, 1951. Between prison and the stress of the fight for independence, they birthed four children. Patrice Lumumba became Prime Minister of DRC. Yet, the same people who made him minister executed him because he wanted complete freedom for his people. His execution was less than one year after independence and after he became PM.

Pauline had no formal education but she knew what had to be done to achieve results. A huge result from all her protests, was the apology in 2002 by Belgium’s government for the mistreatment and assassination of Patrice Lumumba.

Many of us probably know the information above. Maybe some don’t. We however celebrate Pauline today, as a strong woman who stood beside a strong man even long after he died and till she too departed the world.

What do you think of the young widow’s decision to stay single until she aged and died? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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