Nathan Shishiveni Haininga, born in Oshakati in the Oshana region, is an emcee from Oranjemund who believes that showcasing ones ability can be the gateway to one’s dream career.
The first of his four siblings Shishiveni attended his primary School at Shikanyandi Combined and then moved to Iipundi Combined where he completed his Grade Seven. He later went on to Ekulo Secondary School for Grade Eight and completed his matric at the Jacob Marengo Tutorial College in 2002 in Windhoek. When he moved to Windhoek, Haininga joined the school choir and developed a love for entertainment and started organising talent shows and beauty pageants. “I am a down to earth guy who talks a lot, very funny and I enjoy cracking jokes but very short tempered though. I would volunteer to be the MC whenever there was a show at school or in the community where I lived and that’s when I noticed my potential,” says he.
Haininga worked for the SOS Children’s Village in Windhoek as a Programme Assistant Coordinator and was responsible for all entertainment and social events and would often be the MC at events at the Village. “I remember visiting [Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) ] National Radio in 2002 with my former Grade 12 classmates, Elias Festus and Immanuel Mululu, for a youth programme presented by Mwaala Muchira and I felt so good being in the studio for the first time but never imagined being there as a presenter/DJ. I was then introduced to a Oranjemund community radio station manager by a friend and was given the opportunity without any interview or audition and believe I was too nervous to speak on air, especially thinking my English was not the best,” he says.
In 2011 he moved to Oranjemund and worked for Namdeb as a Database Clerk on a temporary basis. While there he was introduced to the Community Radio and got employed as a radio presenter responsible for sport and Oshiwambo edition. He later got promoted to a Station Liaison [Officer] and at times would act as the Station Manager in the absence of his manager. Haininga says just like any other profession, being an MC and presenter is not a cup of tea. “Lack of financial support and this is killing the industry slowly but surely, even if one is booked to a gig, the organisers don’t want to pay and you have to have quality equipment’s to deliver but these equipment’s are too costing. I think its high time that presenters should be appreciated in terms of fund allocations to do courses of this nature,” he says. Haininga enjoys his profession either way and hopes to become one of the best presenters in Namibia, “I want to leave a legacy especially within the town of Oranjemund if I leave one day.”
Last year, he hosted some of the major events such as the World Music Day in Keetmanshoop, the first ever Mr & Miss University of Namibia (Unam) Southern Campus 2014 in Keetmanshoop as well as the third Oranjemund Diamond Festival 2014 in Oranjemund. He says some of the people who inspire him include Webster Snewe and international MC IK from Nigeria. Haininga is now a Radio Presenter for various talk shows such as Breakfast Show, Love Talk and Local Hitz were he promotes latest singles and albums. He is an MC and Event Promoter who is popularly known in Oranjemund.
He encourage the youths to get out of their shells and prove to the world that they have the potential to do good stuffs. “Don’t sit around and do nothing assuming somebody is coming to search for your talent but instead go and showcase what you have. Be yourself, work hard and follow your dreams,” he motivates fellow.