Agostinho Neto

António Agostinho Neto (17 September 1910 – 10 September 1979) was an Angolan politician and poet.^[2][3] He was the first President of Angola, serving from 1975–1979 after he leading the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in the war for independence that lasted from 1961–1974.^[4]

António Agostinho Neto
Official Portrait, 1975
1st President of Angola
In office 11 November 1975 – 10 September 1979
Prime Minister	Lopo do Nascimento (1975-1978)
Preceded by	Position estabilished
Succeeded by	José Eduardo dos Santos
Chairman of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
In office 10 December 1956 – 10 September 1979
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	José Eduardo dos Santos
Personal details
Born	(1910-09-17)17 September 1910 Ícolo e Bengo, Bengo, Overseas Province of Angola, Portugal
Died	10 September 1979(1979-09-10) (aged 68) Moscow, Soviet Union
Political party	MPLA
Spouse(s)	Maria Eugénia da Silva[1]

He died of inoperable cancer on 10 September 1979 in a hospital in Moscow, Russia, aged 68.^[5]

Career as a writer

His works of poetry were written mostly between 1946 and 1960.. He published three books of poetry during his lifetime..^[6] Poems included collections like Sacred Hope, which was published in 1974. He was the first member voted into the Anglo Writers Union and The Center for African Studies in Lisbon. He was given the Lotus Prize by the Conference of Afro-Asian Writers.^[7]