Discipline, hard work, unity and a profound love for one’s nation echoed loudly in the hall as Utoni Nujoma paid tribute to his late father.
Labour minister Utoni, the eldest son of Founding President Sam Nujoma, painted a vivid and deep children’s tribute to their father at a memorial service held at the family’s residence outside Windhoek last week.
Before gathering dignitaries, political leaders and mourners from across the nation, he shared the story of a father whose love was disciplined, whose unwavering principles and whose legacy was rooted and forged in sacrifice.
Speaking on behalf of his siblings, he emphasised that their father’s legacy is not just in history books but in the discipline, hard work and unity every Namibian must carry forward.
“The best tribute to a father who led the Namibian revolution is to put his example into practice. It is the discipline of hard work. Empty talk without hard work annoyed him,” Utoni said.
The minister said, the late statesman was not just a leader of the country but a father who demanded from his children the same sacrifices he asked from the nation.
Utoni recalled his journey into exile in 1974, walking in his father’s footsteps.
“One night, as the moon was rising in the black sky, we stuffed our bags with canned food and bread to last us several days. We crossed into Angola, our hearts pounding, to join our father and the liberation struggle,” he reminisced.
Despite his towering presence in Namibia’s history, Nujoma was a man who led by example in both public and private life.
“He instilled in us the values of respect for elders and solidarity for fellow human beings,” Utoni said, recounting how he and his brothers joined Swapo’s military wing, the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan), without ever being treated with kid gloves from their father.
“To us, our father was a commander, and we followed his instructions, relying on his wisdom forged over decades of leadership,” he added.
Utoni said beyond the struggle, Nujoma was a husband, a grandfather and a patriarch who carried the weight of an entire nation, while still making time for his family. “Although we could not have him around us all the time, we understood very well that he embodied and personified the liberation struggle for Namibia’s freedom and independence,” he told the mourners.
Utoni remembered the difficult years as Nujoma aged, growing frail but never losing his indomitable spirit.
“Every moment we were able to spend with [our] father, each act of kindness became a gesture of gratitude for the precious gift of family,” he recalled.
The ceremony was attended by key figures, including President Nangolo Mbumba, Vice President and president-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, former president Hifikepunye Pohamba, Speaker of the National Assembly Peter Katjavivi, and former first lady Monica Geingos, among many others. International messages of condolence poured in from world leaders, a testament to Nujoma’s enduring influence far beyond Namibia’s borders.
In closing, Utoni called the nation to action. “Together, let’s celebrate the heroes in our lives, honouring their sacrifices and cherishing the moments that shape our stories as families.”
Nujoma died on 8 February, and will be buried this Saturday.
-ljason@nepc.com.na