A standing ovation, Nkrumah’s moving tribute to Patrice Lumumba at 1961 UN General Assembly

In a video made available by the UN via unmultimedia.org, it shows the former president walking into an already packed hall of world leaders and members of the UN Council, heralded by an unending standing ovation and handclaps.

It is unclear why Kwame Nkrumah’s entrance into the hall received that much of a celebration but soon after, he climbed onto the stage to give his address to the house.

In excerpts of his address transcribed by GhanaWeb, the pan-Africanist begun his statement head-on, calling out the United Nations for their role in the murder of Patrice Lumumba of the Congo.

According to Nkrumah, while he did not seek by his address, to undermine the work and authority of the UN, he however believed that, that act in the Congo should become a point of reflection for it.

He added that this was important because he saw the United Nations as the greatest hope of peace for the world.

“I appear before you today on a sad and solemn occasion. The First Meeting and General Assembly since the murder of the Prime Minister of Congo, Patrice Lumumba. History records many occasions where rulers of state have been down to death. The assassination of Patrice Lumumba however is unique, that this is the first time in history that the ruler of country has been killed in the very presence of the United Nations forces, whom he himself had invited to his country to restore law and order.

“The second thing could have happened that will make most of us who believe in the United Nations anxious about its future. I must therefore state quite clearly that any comment or criticism that I have occasioned to make on the United Nations action in the Congo is not intended to disparage its efforts or to undermine its authority. As I said in my last address to this august assembly, the United Nations is indeed the greatest hope for the peace and security of the world.

“The significance of the Congo situation is that, it gives the United Nations an opportunity to re-assert its authority. Its bidding and effective action it’s taking now in the Congo, the United Nations will have that prestige and moral backing which it did not have if it is to tackle other, even greater world problems that it may have to face in the future,” he stated.

The full address by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah can be watched via this link here.

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