Tribute to Dr. Sam Nujoma (part 1)

DANIEL-ASINO YA-ASINO WRITES:Cuban composer Carlos Puebla composed a song “Hasta Siempre Commandante [Until Forever, Commander]” in 1965, whose lyrics respond to revolutionary Che Guevara’s farewell letter as he left Cuba, in order to advance the revolution in the Congo and later Bolivia. As Nambians laid the Founding President and Father of the Namibian Nation to rest, this song is most befitting for the occasion, as its lyrics recount key moments of the Cuban Revolution, describing Che Guevara and his role as a revolutionary commander. This tribute song honours revolutionary leaders and figures who have made an everlasting impact on their nations’ history. It evokes a sense of enduring respect and recognition for their unwavering commitment to the cause of freedom, justice, and equality. Undoubtedly, Dr. Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma was such a revolutionary leader. He was the leader of the Namibian Revolution, the doyen of Namibia’s National Struggle for Liberation, and the most distinguished son of the Namibian soil. Indeed, H.E. Dr. Nangolo Mbumba’s mot juste that, “The foundations of the Republic of Namibia have been shaken,” on announcing the demise of Dr. Nujoma, truly captures the country’s mood for the past 21 days. This is evidenced by the fact that as Namibians, we stood united in solemn reverence and profound reflection, bound by our collective memory of a man whose legacy is indelibly etched in the tapestry of Namibian history. LESSONSThere are great lessons to be learnt from the life which Dr. Nujoma led. One is a lesson of humility and simplicity. For example, whereas one would expect a palatial mansion at Etunda village, a tarred road leading to the doorstep of his homestead, or his farm at Otavi to be the most opulent in the country, this is not the case. His siblings lead normal lives at the village like any other villager. Dr. Nujoma’s village residence homestead does not ooze opulence. He did not give preferential treatment to his sons during the National Liberation Struggle; he sent them to the frontlines to fight like other Namibians who joined him in exile. His eldest son, Hon. Minister Utoni Nujoma only became a full minister in 2010, five years after his father’s tenure as President came to an end. The Founding President did not favour his politician son by elevating him to high positions such as Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister, even though he had the prerogative to do so and as powerful as he was. His siblings or wife did not become millionaires from government contracts during his tenure. Tatekulu Hiskia Asino Nujoma retired a police Chief Inspector – President Nujoma didn’t unilaterally appoint his brother as Inspector General of Nampol, or facilitated his promotion to the highest rank in the police, even though he had the powers to do so legally. His long-time Aide-de-camp Col. (Rtd.) Nepando Amupanda leads a simple life after his retirement, whereas others expected him to have amassed wealth simply because he was closest to the Founding President. This is a great lesson Dr. Nujoma taught us, to shun retrogressive tendencies of avarice, nepotism and chauvinism.One may only appreciate this lesson if you compare Dr. Nujoma’ family with other families of African presidents who ruled earlier in countries, who lived in palaces and enriched their families to the expense of their citizens. The fact that Dr. Nujoma passed on while receiving medical treatment at a local hospital and not abroad, speaks to his belief in Namibian institutions and skills, especially considering that he championed the establishment of Unam School of Medicine.Another lesson is that of bravery. From his childhood, Dr. Nujoma prophesied to free Namibia from the yoke of repugnant apartheid, and later left his homeland into the unknown, sacrificing so much he had to live for. This tenet of bravery is reflected by a quote from William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves”. The phrase, spoken by Cassius to Brutus, challenges the notion that our lives are governed by destiny, instead asserting that our actions and choices are what shape our future. In his 21 March 1990 inaugural speech, he said “Taking the destiny of our country in our own hands meant, among other things, making a great effort to forge a national identity. . . ”He managed to elude the apartheid regime’s gamut of egregious attempts on his life. All these attempts came to naught and this made the apartheid regime apoplectic. This should teach us all to embark on brave initiatives and deliberate actions in affecting economic development, fight hunger and poverty and pursue opportunities in business and education; in order to create a future we want for ourselves and future generations. This he encouraged us to do, when he obtained a Master’s Degree in Geology from Unam at the age of 76 in 2005. His iconic quote “A people united, striving to achieve a common good for all the members of society, will always emerge victorious”, has indeed been amplified and reinforced in the past 21 days, as the nation mourned its leader in unison. – To be continued* Rubrieke, meningstukke, briewe en SMS’e deur lesers en meningvormers weerspieël nie noodwendig die siening van Republikein of Network Media Hub (NMH) nie. As mediahuis onderskryf NMH die etiese kode vir Namibiese media, soos toegepas deur die Media-ombudsman.

Tribute to Dr. Sam Nujoma (part 1)

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Republikein 2026-03-26

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Tribute to Dr. Sam Nujoma (part 1)

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