A former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo Hashim along with others have celebrated Russia’s founding socialist leader Vladimir Lenin as it clocks 100 years of his passing.
Gbenga, who was nicknamed “Lenin” in his student days because of his deep study, connection and admiration for the Russian ideological leader, joined other ideological leaders to celebrate a man who shaped their teenage understanding of global politics.
On his Facebook page, Gbenga wrote:
Today in the morning, admirers of the Ideals of V.I Lenin, the founder of the first Socialist Republic in the world and the leader of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic, gathered for the centenary celebration of his death.
Lenin’s Ideals transformed backward Russia into a technologically advanced society and a Super Power. His internationalist perspective laid the foundations of solidarity of USSR and its successor State (Russia) with the people who lived in colonized territories of Africa and Asia.
Celebrating Lenin’s legacy were many left wing academics, trade unionists, former students union leaders, journalists and diplomats.
On the High table were the Chairman of the occasion, Professor Warisu Ali, Ambassador of Cuba, Ambassador of Palestine, My humble self, and other dignitaries.
The organization of the event was coordinated by former Veteran Journalist and former Secretary General of the Organization of African Trade Union, Comrade Owei Lakemfa.
While explaining the personality of Lenin and the significance of his contribution to Russia’s emergence as a superpower, as compared to Nigeria’s current state of affairs, Gbenga wrote further:
Not everything that happened under Lenin were good but you cannot say some one who implemented
electrification of all of Russia in 5years under a New Economic Programme is not a champion. Imagine that Nigeria a “Capitalist state” with so much freedom is wallowing in darkness 100 years after electrification of Russia,you still think there is nothing to learn in Lenin’s legacy.
Russia’s policy supported freedom from colonial rule in Africa from colonisation from your capitalist friends and so the Russian’s are our friends and we shall continue to celebrate the legacy of their greatest leader.
I am not a communist but there is something to learn from a man who gave free health to all his citizens compared to our ” capitalist” Nigeria where people are dieing everday from treatable diseases There is something to learn from a man that built an army that saved “capitalist Europe from Hitler especially from a people who are led by leaders that are finding it difficult to protect their citizens from Kidnapping!
