Interesting Fact:
During the era of colonialism, Cuba and Russia were among the major countries that supported Africa's fight for independence. Cuba provided military assistance to Congo and Tanzania, including special forces, jet fighters, and ammunition. Russia, on the other hand, trained African freedom fighters and supplied them with arms.
However, due to the effects of colonialism, many black Africans have become mentally conditioned to believe the propaganda of their colonial masters' media, which has caused them to view Russia in a negative light. Even educated Africans often hold negative views of Russia without any concrete reason.
In reality, Russia has been instrumental in supporting the liberation of African countries. For instance, they transferred oil exploration technology to Libya, which allowed the country to control its own oil resources independently of post-colonial oil companies. Meanwhile, Nigeria continues to rely on former colonial powers for oil exploration.
Russia also played a crucial role in training freedom fighters in Tanzania, with training camps located in Morogoro and Dodoma. Ironically, while the US, Britain, and the Netherlands claimed to support human rights and democracy, they continued to do business and share intelligence with the apartheid government.
According to Che Guevara, "Africa is the weakest link of Western imperialism," and Russia supported other nations in their fight against US and British imperialism. However, the US-sponsored coup that led to the death of Thomas Sankara, the former president of Burkina Faso, was due to his close ties with Russia. Under Sankara's leadership and with guidance from Russia, the country began a paradigm shift from consumption to production in Africa.
Moreover, Russia was a strong supporter of the ANC and Nelson Mandela, which is why South Africa became the first African country to join the BRICS nations.
Unfortunately, some Nigerians who have been misled by media propaganda still hold negative views of Russia. They fail to recognize that their crude oil, which is the country's primary source of export and revenue, is being controlled by former colonial powers. These same powers often support Nigerian leaders, regardless of their human rights violations or criminal histories, to maintain their grip on the country's oil resources.
