One Man
It was 1960 and an unprecedented event happened. Belgium, a stalwart colonial powerhouse, handed over sovereignty of its crown jewel…willingly. It was the first time they have ever given over control.
Everyone wanted a piece of the crown jewel. Europe, The Soviet Union, the United States. Everyone wanted Congo. Its beauty. Its vast resources.
And yet the bells of freedom rang, held by one man: Patrice Lumumba. 10 years earlier, he was a simple mailman and beer salesman. But in a mere decade, he rose to prominence as the most influential leader on the African continent and one of most influential in the world.
But there was another man: King Baudouin of Belgium. He too had won the love of the Congolese people. And he too wanted credit for ushering in a period of peace.
And there were droves of others, all of whom wanted to credit for being the person lead this nation into a new future.
But there could only be One Man. One Nation. One Future.
And it was was a fight of tears and loss, of love and beauty.
This is the story