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António Agostinho Neto
1st President of Angola
In office 11 November 1975 – 10 September 1979
Succeeded by	José Eduardo dos Santos
Personal details
Born	(1922-09-17)September 17, 1922 Ícolo e Bengo, Bengo, Overseas Province of Angola, Portugal
Died	September 10, 1979(1979-09-10) (aged 56) Moscow, Soviet Union
Political party	Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
Spouse	Maria Eugénia da Silva

António Agostinho Neto was born in 17 September 1922 in small village called “Icolo e Bengo” (Angola) and died in 10 September 1979 in Moscow (Russia) ex-U.S.S.R.

Agostinho Neto

Agostinho Neto António Agostinho Neto was born on 17 September 1922 in a small village called “Icolo e Bengo” (Angola) and died on 10 September 1979 in Moscow (Russia) ex-U.S.S.R. Agostinho Neto was a Doctor, Poet, Physician and he was also the first president of Angola. Son of a Methodist pastor who later became a teacher in Dembos and his mother is Maria da Silva Neto who was also a teacher. In June 1934, Neto got his certificate from primary school in Luanda and 1937 his parents moved to Luanda where Neto continued studying at Salvador Correia High School where he completed his 7th Grade and then he starts working for the Portuguese Colonial Health Service and joined in main socials, politics and cultural activities in Coimbra (Portugal) at Student's unitl 1947.With some funds provided by his home village, Neto travelled to Portugal to study medicine.

Developing the Anti-Colonial Movement:

In Lisbon, Neto became close friends with Amílcar Cabral, Marcelino dos Santos and other students from Africa and together, they formed a group called "the re-Africanization of the mind", which gives origin to The movement of the intellectuals youth of Angola. In 1948, Neto got a scholarship to study at the College Medicine of Lisbon. During the same year, Neto published his first volume of poetry and was arrested for the first time. There followed a series of arrests and detainments which interrupted his studies. In September the 1st Congress of Black Writers and Artists was in held in Paris and it was attended by writers of the Portuguese colonies, such as Marcelino dos Santos, and they where lamented by the absence of Neto. On 10 December, Neto joined the MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) formed in 1956. He was released from detention and allowed to complete his studies in 1958. Shortly after his release, Neto returned to Angola with his new wife, Maria Eugénia da Silva, where he set up a private medical practice in gynaecology. In 27 October 1958 Neto got his degree in medicine from the University of Lisbon and he married his girlfriend Maria Eugenia Neto. In 9 November 1958, his first son Mário Jorge Neto was born in Lisbon. In 1959, Neto and his family left Lisbon and returned back to Luanda where he opened his practice as a Medical doctor.

Agostino Neto – Doctor, Poet, and First President of Angola:

Neto was not only Angola's first president, but he remained its most prominent poet, with his work published in several languages. Neto's poetry deals with the quest for freedom, and several of his poems were converted into liberation anthems.

Neto died of cancer on 10 September 1979 in Moscow Russia, where he had travelled to receive medical attention. He was succeeded in the post of presidency by José Eduardo dos Santos (actual President of Angola). Neto's birthday is celebrated in Angola as National Heroes Day.

Poetry

Agostinho also was a poet, some of his poem writen in portuguese are followed :

• Quitandeira
• Voz de sangue
• Mussunda amigo
• Contratados
• Aspiração
• Poesia africana
• Fogo e ritmo
• Kinaxixi
• Noite
• Consciencialização
• Civilização ocidental
• Adeus à hora da largada

Havemos de voltar

One of the most well knwown poem of Neto

At home, at our mines

beaches, our fields

we shall return

To our land

Red Coffee

white cotton

the green cornfields

we shall return

our diamond mines

gold, copper, oil

we shall return

Our rivers, our lakes

the mountains, forests

we shall return

In the cool of the mulemba

to our traditions

the rhythms and the fires

we shall return

In the marimba and Quissanje

our carnival

we shall return

In the beautiful Angolan homeland

our land, our mother

we shall return

We will return

In Angola released

Independent Angola

This poem was written by Agostinho Neto in October 1960 in the prison of Aljube, Lisbon.