The remains of the 19th-century French founder of Congo, Pierre de Brazza, have been exhumed in Algeria to be placed in a memorial in Congo.
A marble mausoleum has been built in Brazzaville, which was named for the explorer who founded the city in 1884, and the government plans to inter his and his family's remains there.
De Brazza ruled the city for 11 years and his family had asked that he be commemorated there, the BBC said.
While opposition members claim the poor country shouldn't be building monuments and honoring colonialists, government spokesman Charles Bowao said it was justified.
"What interests us here is the humanitarian dimension of de Brazza, his fight against slavery and the abuses and excesses of export companies during the colonial period," Bowao said.
The republic gained independence from France in 1960.
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
