Sekou Odinga’s Statement for the 18th Annual Political Prisoner Tribute Dinner
In the Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful!
I greet you all with Peace and Free the Land!
I am glad for the opportunity to say a few words in honor of Baba Herman and Iyaluua Ferguson. Few people deserve honor more than them.
It was about 50 years ago that I first heard about the wonderful work Herman was doing for our people, especially our youth, in spite of all the opposition from the powers that be. I think he had been fired as an assistant principal at a local junior high school in my neighborhood. The people in the community were out trying to force the school to take Herman back. I think that was the first political activity I took part in the street. I soon followed his lead again in the struggle to take control of our schools in Brooklyn. Not long after, Umi Iyaluua, Baba Herman’s lovely wife, partnered up with him, and they have been struggling for our people ever since. Today, I am honored and happy to thank them both for their many years of dedicated struggle on behalf of our people in general, and political prisoners and prisoners of war specifically.
I am sure by now you all that this annual dinner, remembering and honoring PP/POWs and their families was started by Iyaluua and Herman. Me being one of the POWs who have personally benefitted from their hard work I want to say, I love you Herman and Iyaluua, and I appreciate greatly the work and sacrifices yall have done for PP/POWs. Although these dinners have taken a lot of hard work to make happen year after year, I know this just a small part of all the work and sacrifice you have done. I remember the dedicated and hard work you both did to start and run a revolutionary newspaper – Nation Time. Brothers still ask me about it and whether they can still get it.
Your work and sacrifice has always been of the highest revolutionary quality. Again, let me say I and my family really appreciate and love you for it. You are a wonderful example of revolutionary dedication and struggle. You are an inspiration to me and I hope to others to follow your example.
With Revolutionary Love,
your son in struggle
Sekou M. Abdullah Odinga