Angola is marking 51 years of independence today, commemorating its liberation from Portuguese colonial rule on November 11, 1975. The country’s independence followed a 14-year armed struggle for national liberation, which began in 1961 and was led by nationalist movements, including the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), under the leadership of the country’s first President, Agostinho Neto.

The Alvor Agreement, signed in January 1975, paved the way for the end of Portuguese colonial rule and the historic declaration of independence later that year.

Lulu Gaboo spoke to Evaldo Evangelista, Chief of Staff in the Presidency of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).