This footage was filmed and produced 17 January 2024.

[Note: partially no sound]

Over the centuries, this remote corner has witnessed systematic discrimination, natural disasters and the ruthless exploitation of its resources. Yet behind every tragedy lies a silent struggle for independence and survival.

Despite the colonial belief that Annobon was uninhabited at the time of its discovery by the Portuguese, later archaeological findings suggest otherwise. Spanish researchers in the 1960s found evidence of a prehistoric culture on the island, challenging colonial narratives and underscoring Annobon's rich ancestral history.

In 1886, Spanish colonial authority supplanted Annobon's local government, subjecting its people to decades of oppression and exploitation. The island became just another piece of the colonial jigsaw in the Gulf of Guinea, losing its autonomy and seeing its resources plundered by foreign interests.

In 1973 and 1974, Annobon was hit by two devastating epidemics of cholera and measles respectively. The lack of medical care and aid from the Equatoguinean government left the population abandoned to their fate, claiming the lives of hundreds of people, mainly children and the elderly.

In a desperate act to get help, eight men from Annobon set sail in 1975 in the cayuco "Kindjadja", seeking relief on the African coast. Their courageous seven-day crossing brought international attention to the humanitarian crisis on the island, but also exposed the indifference and brutality of the Equatorial Guinean government.

The repression of the Equatorial Guinean government presided over by Don Francisco Macias Nguema in 1976 led to the forced deportation of all Annobon men to the island of Fernando Poo, now Bioko, where they were enslaved and subjected to inhumane conditions on the cocoa and coffee plantations. Annobon was left desolate, with its men deported and its women raped by militiamen, all from the ethnic ruling tribe of Equatorial Guinea.

Subsequently, in an act of environmental treason, the government of Equatorial Guinea under the current dictatorial president Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo signed contracts to turn Annobon into a toxic and nuclear waste dump in the 1980s. These deals endangered the island's health and environment, regardless of the consequences for its population.

The movement towards independence for Annobon took shape in recent events, with the Annobonese people demanding the exercise of their right to self-determination. Through successive General Assemblies of the Annobonese people in 2021, the groundwork was laid for the unilateral declaration of independence.

Despite attempts at dialogue with the government of Equatorial Guinea, the lack of response led to the elaboration of concrete proposals for the establishment of an autonomous government in Annobon. This included the creation of a constitutional committee and the drafting of a constitution for the future Republic of Annobon.

The process towards independence for Annobon reflects the determination and resilience of the Annobonese people in their quest for freedom and self-determination. As the island moves towards an independent future, it faces challenges but also opportunities to build a more just and prosperous society.

However, this path to independence is not without contemporary challenges. The island continues to suffer under the shadow of the current dictatorship in Equatorial Guinea, where human rights are violated and freedom of expression is restricted. Political repression and corruption persist as obstacles on the road to the full emancipation of Annobon.

Annobon, with its rich history and natural beauty, is preparing to assert its unique identity on the world stage as a sovereign and free nation, ready to face the challenges of the future with the courage and determination of its own historical background.